Plymouth 1620 hotel development site on the market after developer walks away

A prominent hotel development site adjacent to the historic Plymouth Hoe in Devon is available again after the original developer walked away from the project.

Planning permission was granted in 2017 by Plymouth City Council to private equity company Henley Real Estate to build an 80-bedroom luxury hotel in the site of the former Quality hotel, which had been demolished two years earlier.

The property was due to be completed this year in time for the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower from Plymouth. Overlooking Plymouth Sound, the hotel was expected to be named 1620 to commemorate the year of the voyage.

However, construction of the £50m development, which was to include 88 ocean-fronting apartments never started. The hotel had been set to incorporate two eateries (a brasserie and a panoramic restaurant on the 11th floor) ballroom, conference centre and spa.

A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council said: “The agreement between Henley Real Estate and Plymouth City Council has come to an end. The council has recently appointed Colliers International to market the site and to assist the council in its search for a developer for the site.”

Marc Finney, head of hotels and resorts, Colliers International, said that the council is looking for a partner to develop a hotel-led, mixed-use development. “The price is dependent on the quality of the scheme being proposed.”

Initial submissions for the scheme should be sent to Finney at marc.finney@colliers.com by 18 November.

Henley Real Estate declined to comment.