PROPERTY developer Richard Carr has said it is “clear” there is a way back despite plans to redevelop three Sandbanks hotels being unanimously refused over flood concerns.
Mr Carr first submitted plans in 2017 to bulldoze the Haven Hotel and build a six-storey block of 119 luxury apartments.
He also submitted plans to demolish Sandbanks Hotel and redevelop it as a new five star 171-bedroom hotel, with the Harbour Heights becoming a 38-apartment hotel and spa.
Read more: Sandbanks hotels plans refused over flooding concerns
BCP Council rejected the plans at a meeting in Bournemouth Town Hall on Wednesday, upholding a planning officer's recommendation to refuse on flood risk grounds.
The Environment Agency had objected to the plans saying the applicant had not demonstrated how the development would be flood resilient and 'safe for its lifetime', according to the planning officer's report.
This was due to a lack of adequate flood wave overtopping modelling.
The report to planning committee members said the applicant had sought to provide the information, however, it was "not to the standard that the Environment Agency require".
On this basis, the applicant had decided not to provide any further modelling, which left the issue unresolved, stated the report.
The flood risk was the basis for refusal by the planning committee.
Chairman David Kelsey told the packed meeting: "If it was not for the flooding issues, I would be granting this right now. To me the Haven (Hotel) has no merit whatsoever any more.
"However, we do have the Environment Agency (EA) assessment and that is my only concern.
"I think the applicant has got the impression we are in favour of the design but we need the EA agreement as without it we are scuppered. It is only and solely for that I will have to support the move to refuse it."
Speaking with the Daily Echo after the meeting, Mr Carr said: “We always knew it would be difficult. Clearly there is a way back and there is clearly a way to get a planning application on this.
“I’ll be speaking to the FJB shareholders and the FJB group.
“We will have to get a round-the-table meeting with the Environment Agency and probably remove a little bit of height on the Haven Hotel and I think then we’ll get planning permission.”
The controversial plans attracted around 6,000 objections, with a campaign led by David Morley, chair of the Sandbanks Community Group.
After the meeting, Mr Morley said: “I would say it’s a victory and we are delighted with that. It’s a victory for the community and all the visitors who come here and everyone who loves Sandbanks.
“There were some heartening comments from a number of members of the planning committee supporting our opposition to the loss of the Haven.
“It was refused on flood risk but it doesn’t matter what grounds it was refused on, this application is effectively dead.
“They will need to start with a new application and we would oppose as consistently as we have this one.
“I would hope the owner would at least sit down with the community about how we could resolve this in a way for everybody. Now would be a good time to do that.”
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