A 13-bedroom Sandown hotel will be turned into residential accommodation after decades of trading, falling profits and being on the market for 2 years.
Mr and Mrs R. Doe now have conditional planning permission for a change of use of the closed Chad Hill Hotel on 7 Hill Street in Sandown into an eight-bedroom house with lounges, offices, a yoga room and gym.
The hotel closed at the end of October 2024 after being operated by its current owners for the past 30 years, Andrew White Planning Consultancy previously said.
Reasons given for the change of use application included the ‘downturn in hotel trade generally’ and the significant upgrading and repair investment required in the property, estimated to be around £200,000.
The council decided proposal 26/00113/FUL would have positive benefits in terms of contributing to local housing supply, enhancing the character and appearance of the site and neighbouring amenity.
These would outweigh ‘minor negative harm’ to the Island’s tourism accommodation, planners concluded, with other matters relating to highways, affordable housing and Solent habitat sites classed as neutral factors.
Three conditions were included in the consent to comply with legislation and planning policy and ensure a high standard of amenity for future occupiers and neighbouring residents.
More and more hotels closing is not good for tourism.