A former Ventnor restaurant is set to be turned into flats overlooking the beach.
The current owners of the Waterside Restaurant on the Esplanade are proposing to change the ground floor into flats.
Formerly the Richmond Hotel, the building was converted into flats and a restaurant nearly 20 years ago and could now become completely residential.
Plans submitted by Stag Rock (Ventnor) Ltd, a company based in St Anne’s in Lancashire, would see the Waterside turned into 2x 2-bedroom flats.
Documents, submitted on behalf of the developers by Andrew White Planning Consultancy, say the conversion would remove the plastic signage on the front and, at a later date, another application would be submitted to restore the ground floor frontage so it complements the Victorian nature of the upper floors.
Most recently the building was known for the popular local hot spots, Ale and Oyster and Hello Sailor, but tenants have been unable to sustain a viable restaurant there, said to be due to the challenges of operating at the premises due to various deficiencies.
According to the planning agents, there is a lack of commercial bin storage, the toilets are in an awkward position and there is no commercial gas supply in the kitchen.
To view the plans, 22/00558/3OPA, you can view the Isle of Wight Council’s planning register. Comments can be submitted until 4th May.
I have lived in Ventnor for over 25 years and my main concern is that all the retail outlets along this short seafront are being slowly allowed to close and transfer over to private living accommodation. Soon if people are on the beach or just walking along the seafront there will be no shops or retail left ?? . Surely the Council should insist that the ground level be kept for Retail of some type ?? If not Ventnor seafront will become just a row of Private housing for the Rich and Privileged..
Private perhaps, but hardly ‘rich & privileged’. There’s no need to roll-out that tired old trope.
Ventnor seafront isn’t exactly St.Tropez or Monaco, the flats there aren’t much special and they’re hardly priced so exorbitantly that it’s a millionaire’s row.
I suspect much of the ‘damage done’ occurred when the original development took place, limiting the retail options on the ground floor and making it untenable to run a restaurant from that site.
A cynic might say this was always a potential plan B for Stag Rock Ltd – to switch ground floor to residential.
I agree that the seafront shouldn’t become entirely residential and that ground floor properties should be designated commercial or retail/catering, if only because once usage is changed to residential it’s unlikely ever to revert back.
The Council have a part to play here, both in ensuring services and facilities enable viable business operations at this seafront and then protecting the established usage of ground floor premises on the seafront.
This is a usage dilemma, not a ‘Rich people taking over’ grab.
Which is how most of these resorts started out around 200 years ago. Money talks, I’m afraid.
There’s always room for pop-up eateries. I think the Island is a bit behind with ‘street food’ ventures. Maybe the footfall isn’t there.
I feel a bit sorry for kids, since the seaside is part of childhood memories. Contrast with Shanklin seafront which has really invested in entertainment for kids in recent years.
Ventnor needs the rich and privileged far more than it needs derelict retail establishments!