Plans to ‘secure the future’ of one of the Island’s exclusive holiday clubs in the West Wight have been put forward — including 26 homes.
Following the impact of the Covid pandemic on the West Bay Club in Yarmouth, proposals to ‘reflect the current needs’ of the business have been submitted to the Isle of Wight Council and could see more holiday and residential properties added to the site at Halletts Shute.
What was planned
In a three-phase development, four holiday units, manager’s accommodation and 26 residential properties as a mixture of houses and flats are proposed along with the partial demolition of the existing sports hall.
In 2019, planning permission was granted to extend the facility to 115-holiday cottages with a country club, spa and holiday complex.
‘Situation is now critical’
However, since then, agents Dickson’s Planning and Development on behalf of West Bay, say the Covid pandemic has had a devastating impact on the business and it is no longer commercially viable to carry out the approved development, and the ‘situation is now critical’.
They also say it is not possible to secure the necessary funding required to start the development.
Short to medium-term plans
Now, the new proposals will allow the business to operate in ‘the short to medium term’, and develop a sustainable strategic plan for the site.
Planning documents also say West Bay would like to open discussions with the Isle of Wight Council over the future of the country club, with current ideas including a replacement country club building which would be a ‘health, wellness and fitness centre of excellence’.
They also say some of the current buildings are in a very poor state of construction, which are now failing and not considered viable to maintain and repair.
View the plans
To view the plans, 22/00291/FUL, you can visit the council’s planning register. Comments can be submitted until 25th March.
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
Image: Lex Photography under CC BY 2.0
