Residents in new protest against Premier Inn plan

More than 100 residents in a Cornish town held a protest in their continued battle against a proposed Premier Inn hotel.

Cornwall Council refused the application in April 2024 for the 90-room site overlooking St Ives, citing concerns about its size.

But Premier Inn owner Whitbread launched an appeal on the basis that any adverse effect would not be "significant".

At a planning appeal meeting at the Tregenna Castle hotel on Wednesday, protesters held up a banner and placards describing the planned hotel as a "corporate carbuncle" and a "needless monstrosity".

The proposal would see the hotel replace the existing Cornwallis Nursing Home on Trewidden Road.

Members of the council planning committee said last year that if the project was approved, it would have an "adverse impact upon the area and skyline due to its height and massing".

A campaign group listed eight objections to the development in February which included concerns over parking and result in the closure of the last remaining care home in the town.

Peter Blackshaw, principal development officer at the council, said a number of areas would be affected, while St Ives hotelier Alan Gillam also raised concerns about the impact the proposal would have on other businesses if approved.

Before the meeting, Louise Woodruff, property acquisitions manager at Whitbread, said the company had been working on the proposal since 2022.

She said: "We have adhered to planning policy and worked closely with planning officers to put forward a proposal that we feel is appropriate for the location and would bring long-lasting benefits to the town."

She added they "were very disappointed" that the plans had been refused in April, despite being "recommended for approval by planning officers".

"Taking the case to appeal is not a decision we take lightly and this hearing allows us to address points raised during the planning process in more detail."

A decision on the appeal is expected in the coming weeks.

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