OCEAN HOTEL SAGA CONTINUES AS APPEAL ‘LODGED WITH HIGH COURT’

The saga surrounding Sandown’s derelict Ocean Hotel rumbles on into 2024 amid reports that yet another appeal is being lodged – this time with the High Court. It was back in February 2022 that the Isle of Wight Council issued a Section 215 order forcing the tidy-up of the Esplanade site by July of that year. But the work was not carried out, leading to the matter going to the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court. An initial appeal was thrown out, but a further appeal was later lodged with Durham Crown Court to challenge the Magistrates’ decision. Last month, 18 months after the order was issued, the former owners of the Ocean Hotel, Phoenix Commercial Property Development (PCPD), lost their appeal at the Isle of Wight Crown Court and were ordered to pay almost £6,000 costs.

Judge Richard Shephard gave PCPD around 5 months to comply with the original tidy-up order, with the previously halted clock restarted. However, local councillor Ian Ward has revealed this week that another appeal has been lodged, this time taking matters to the High Court. It’s thought that a hearing will be held in January. If the appeal falls at the High Court there will be nowhere else for PCPD to go, as it is the highest court in the land.