Decision date for Meudon Hotel in Cornwall 'residences' bid

Hotel Meudon at Maenporth, Falmouth, had an initial planning application to build the holiday units refused last year.

Earlier this year the upmarket hotel, famed for its subtropical gardens, lodged a very similar application with Cornwall Council for the ten holiday homes of varying sizes within its grounds alongside a new outdoor heated swimming pool with changing facilities, a treatment spa and a casual dining restaurant with associated infrastructure improvements, external works and landscaping.

The new units have been designed as a family of “residences”.

READ MORE: Coastal hotel unveils redevelopment plans for gardens including 'infinity' pool

The proposals have been recommended for approval by a council planning committee on Monday, November 13 despite opposition from Mawnan Parish Council, Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Unit, the South West Coast Path Association, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and over 150 residents who have commented on the council’s online planning register.

The seaside hotel, owned by Kingfisher Resorts which purchased the property in 2020, said at the time of original planning submission that it needed to build the holiday homes to survive economically.

The hotel group insisted its new application proposes a “substantial reduction in scale and heights to reduce visual impact from the sea and coastal footpath”, adding that buildings would be limited to a maximum of two storeys, with most units sitting within the existing sloping topography.

Bream House, Hotel Meudon’s existing five-bedroom accommodation unit, would also be redesigned to follow a more traditional arts and crafts aesthetic.

A CGI of 'The Retreat' (Image: Meudon Hotel)

The application has been brought before a Cornwall Council committee for a decision at the request of division member Cllr John Bastin due to “the extreme concern by both the parish council and local residents regarding the ‘mass’ of the development”.

Mawnan Parish Council stated: “The applicant, whilst reducing the scale of a number of the individual units in terms of height, has not reduced the overall scale of development including number of units and bedrooms, which is considered excessive. The proposed development fails to conserve and enhance the landscape character and natural beauty of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Beauty, which is a highly sensitive location.

“The introduction of a significant number of ‘holiday units’ (or residential dwellings!) into this wooded valley garden is to the detriment of the natural qualities of this tranquil setting, due to their scale, design, siting, access, parking, engineering works and increased light pollution.”

A spokesperson for the council added: “Out of the 165 public comments received by March 15, 2023, 155 of them are objections which reflects the strong feeling of the community against the extent of this development and the parish council’s objections reflect those concerns. There can be no credible reason for allowing a development of this scale.”

READ MORE: 'Nothing's changed' say residents opposed to ten homes being built in hotel grounds

The Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Unit added in its report: “This proposed development of ten substantial contemporary dwellings with their variously conspicuous character fails to recognise and address the sensitive nature of the woodland site and particularly its eastern end overlooking Bream Cove.

"The proposed development fails to address the AONB’s sensitivity and character whilst conserving and enhancing the landscape character and natural beauty of the AONB and we object to it on this basis.”

Hotel Meudon, near Falmouth, has submitted new proposals for the enhancement of its current offering and historic gardens (Image: Paul Armstrong)

Cornwall Council planning officer Mark Ball said in a report to councillors: “There are acknowledged benefits of the scheme, in terms of short-term economic benefits derived from the construction phase, ongoing economic benefits derived from increased employment at the site and increased tourist spending in the local economy, provision of improved facilities on the site with potential to be used by the local community, provision of a new permissive footpath link from the site to the South West Coast Path, and increased woodland planting and biodiversity. These benefits weigh in favour of the proposal in the planning balance.

“Against these benefits must be weighed what is considered to be the assessed slight adverse impact on the landscape and scenic beauty of the AONB resulting from the proposed holiday units on Plots 8, 9 and 10, albeit in relatively limited views, in particular from the sea and some other limited locations.

"There would also be a slight adverse change to the character of the existing wooded valley/gardens (which is a non-designated heritage asset) through the introduction of new built development and the loss of a small area of Grade 3 agricultural land approximately 2.8 hectares in area.”

The application includes plans for an infinity pool (Image: Meudon Hotel)

Among the many people complaining about the proposals online, Niall Murphy wrote: “I have to object to this application on the grounds that it is not materially different from its unsuccessful predecessor. The reduction in height of the proposed holiday units/luxury villas is more than cancelled by the increased footprint of the proposed development.

“The main issue has to be the effect of significantly increased traffic on a narrow and busy road. The demolition of existing staff accommodation, which forms part of the application, will further exacerbate the volume of traffic on the road to and from the hotel.

"I know the Hotel Meudon has been a valued part of the local community for many years. However, this application would surely mar those environmental and coastal qualities which attract visors to the Meudon in the first place.”