PROPOSALS to build two new hotels in the centre of Bournemouth, one of which will be topped by a “sky bar”, are being recommended for approval.

The latest attempt to redevelop Terrace Mount car park seeks to build a three or four-star, 167-bedroom hotel alongside a two or three-star, 114-bedroom hotel.

The higher quality hotel will have a bar on the top floor, offering guests and visitors extensive sea views. It will also have a leisure club, swimming pool, conferencing facilities and a café on the ground floor.

Developer Havard Tisdale is also seeking to build 59 apartments – 14 of which will be luxury flats – at the top of the biggest hotel.

The application will go before Bournemouth’s planning board next Thursday but is being recommended for approval, subject to conditions.

Planning officer Steve Davies states in his report to councillors that the main issue is the increased height and the fact that the main building is “clearly becoming very dominant”.

“Had this been an application to merely seek permission for additional flats then I would be likely to refuse the application,” he said.

“However, I consider it reasonable to have regard to the proposed use.

“A good-quality hotel in the town centre and investment in tourism is a positive ingredient in the assessment formula.

“The building could be viewed as a positive attribute to the economy of the town.

“Being a hotel, it will have a more vibrant character rather than being one of the many more “ordinary” tower blocks of flats that appear on the skyline in the town centre. The Sky Bar restaurant bar will be a destination people would want to visit.”

Previously, Redrow Homes were awarded permission to build 208 flats on the site but they sold it to Havard Tisdale when the recession hit.