Plans to turn an Isle of Wight hotel into a house are once again back on the table, after some confusion with a previous application.
Alan Humphreys, the owner of the Melville Hall Hotel in Sandown, is trying again to seek permission to turn the 20+ bed hotel into a residential property, according to planning documents.
Mr Humphreys had submitted plans in June last year to make the change of use, but was refused by the Isle of Wight council as it said there was no evidence to justify the loss of the hotel and it would be to the detriment of the Island’s tourist economy.
Change of use error
He appealed the refusal to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which is yet to be validated, and instead sought permission to install a new porch in November.
However, the Isle of Wight council listed the application as a change of use, which it said was an error and apologised to Mr Humphreys.
The plans for a porch were then withdrawn in December.
New plans for change of use
Now new plans are back before the planning authority to change the hotel into a domestic property and add a porch, after the previous porch collapsed.
In planning documents, Mr Humphreys says the property has been on the market for 12 months and the application is a “re-submission to correct a title error.”
Partial domestic status in place
He says the building has already got a partial domestic status, as per the council tax department, and describes the use of the property as domestic.
Mr Humphreys said the porch was dangerous and in disrepair so it was removed in February.
The council had previously refused the porch, saying it was not in keeping with the neighbourhood, which Mr Humphreys said was “unacceptable” due to the range of properties surrounding the hall.
View the plans
You can view the plans, 23/02110/FUL, on the Isle of Wight council’s planning register.
The public consultation runs until 26th January 2024.
The hotel, on Melville Street, once hosted the Utopia Spa with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, nail bar and multiple treatment rooms.
It also had a dining room with up to 100 covers and bar and lounge areas.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
