Sandbanks development plans revised following opposition

Plans for two hotels and residential apartments on Dorset's Sandbanks peninsula have been revised following widespread opposition.

More than 2,700 public objections were lodged with Borough of Poole Council and a group called Protect Sandbanks Group was set up to oppose the original plans to demolish three FJB Hotels properties and redevelop the sites.

The hotel proposals have subsequently been reduced slightly in size: plans for a 196-bedroom luxury hotel on the site of the current 77-bedroom, four-AA-star Sandbanks hotel have been reduced to 185 bedrooms; and a 40-suite aparthotel on the site of the 38-bedroom, four-AA-star Harbour Heights hotel has been reduced to 38 apartments.

However, the main change is to plans to transform the 116-bedroom, four-AA-star Haven hotel into a 10-storey residential complex, which has been reduced to six storeys.

The Caterer.

“It’s very rare that you put a planning application in that doesn’t get modified. It’s part of the journey of planning. I am feeling positive, at the end of the day why would the council not want two brand new hotels? We’ve worked tirelessly with the local planning authority to get the drawings to a state of what they consider to be satisfactory.

“I expect this to be going to committee in the last quarter of this year. I would think that within the next 24 months a start will be made on the redevelopment.”

The council is expected to open the public consultation for the development over the next week.

Plans for Sandbanks development facing widespread opposition >>

Poole’s Sandbanks development to go to public consultation >>

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