Plans to turn a once-popular Sandown hotel into a house have been refused, again. The owner of Melville Hall Hotel in Sandown wanted permission to convert the 20+ bed hotel into a single house, but Isle of Wight Council planning officers have rejected Alan Humphreys’ plan for a 2nd time. 5 local residents objected to the scheme while 3 were in support. Those who objected said the once upmarket accommodation had ‘fallen into disrepair’ and argued Sandown needed its hotels. Supporters said tourism is in decline and pointed out it had not been a hotel for years. Planning officers said they had not been given enough information about whether the hotel could continue to function as a business or that it had been up for sale as tourism accommodation. A new porch was also turned down because the officer said it was ‘alien’ and would jar with the hotel’s traditional design. Officers acknowledged the wide range of building designs in the area but said the porch was not of high-quality design and would not complement the character and appearance of the building. Mr Humphreys can appeal the decision to the Planning Inspectorate. A previous plan to turn the hotel into a house was also refused, in June 2023. Mr Humphreys appealed that earlier decision with the government and an investigation is underway.
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So planning officers would like it to look like the rest of Sandown’s unused Hotels would they?. I will tell you what these planning people need a kick up the A-s
Oh, great! Another derelict hotel which can be filled with squatters and set on fire. Until our apalling council get of their lazy behinds and save this lovely old seaside town, who will want to stay in a Sandown hotel anyway.
It’s his hotel and should have right to do with what he wants,if council want it to be hotel then buy it and run as one,if not let him change use. Tourism is being pushed away by council ( carparking,lack of public toilets and places of interest – forced to close because of Council bureaucracy, rates etc , Wax museum, Robin Hill,Flamingo Park,many nightclubs,pubs and cafe/restaurants and extortionate ferry fares etc.
Clearly the owner has no friends in high places.
So the objectors would love it to go to rack and ruin ,then eventually it will be turned into many flats, and it will get planning permission due to the iow council getting more council tax…..
So why can’t it be One House??????
Jealousy by the objectors????
Or Victor Meldrews ?????????
Plenty of places to stay on the island……
This is stupid, there are so many empty hotels in Sandown why are they picking on this one? It obviously was not attracting enough business to stay open so what do they want the owner to do with it? Throw into the mix the lack of housing and it sounds more like a win win. Sounds like a idiotic decision to me…
Only 5 objections to it and council agree and refuse, yet other developments gets hundreds of objections , public meetings, petitions etc yet council agree to those developments!. Council is not for it’s community, it’s just about power , power and control.
The council made the right decision.
Since the new owner bought the once well kept and profitable hotel, the hotel now looks a disgrace…there would of been a better chance of him getting his planning permission had he maintained the building and grounds, instead we residents have to put up with decaying rubbish swarms of rats, and a junkyard in the car park.
And as for wanting to attach a tent to the front of the building and call it a porch…would be an even bigger eyesore that what the place looks like now.
I personally will now object to the melville hall hotel appeal.
Ahhh,the not on my doorstep attitude,its called progress,idiot.
But the esplanade in sandown has just got permission to be turned into flats!
bit suspicious this one getting refused
I would be happy to support a planning application to turn it in to flats especially if it were rental, as there is a shortage for island people.
But that is not what the owner of melville hall is asking for.
the Esplanade hotel has lain derelict for the required number of years, to demonstrate to the planning authority that the bed spaces are no longer required. Sadly, that is the route to change of use in this crazy system. Prove the visitor beds are not required. of course, for the town it means continuing dereliction, for the owner it means frustration, and the reputation of the town slides ever down. Amazing why these LA rules continue to hold sway, but of course, who in County Hall has the vision to see the consequences and make some changes to their policy?????