Second homes fear over houses at seaside hotel Cornwall

Developer Acorn Blue applied to Cornwall Council to knock down the Cliff Hotel in Bude, which overlooks Crooklets Beach, and replace it with a mix of single, two and three-storey homes on land currently occupied by the hotel, tennis courts and a bowling green. The proposal came before the council’s east sub-area planning committee on Monday (February 19).

The development would see the construction of 16 open market properties and seven affordable homes. The western half of the site proposes two detached single storey dwellings accessed off a private drive, while the remaining homes would be delivered within the eastern half of the site and comprise a mixture of maisonettes and other dwellings.

The two homes on the western side of the site would be situated near Maer Down, one of the community’s most valued open spaces.

There are currently 67 comments on the council’s planning portal, with the majority saying the development would be out of keeping with the area. One of those objectors, Ivan Kite, addressed the meeting saying he felt that objections from the National Trust, which owns Maer Down, had been understated in the planning report.

Mr Kite said the western part of the site was in an area of great landscape value and should be protected from all development. He added that if one or two houses were excluded from that area his objection – and he believes those of others – would “fall away”.

Where the development would be built in relation to Bude and Crooklets beach (Pic: Google Earth / Cornwall Council)

Cllr Viki Herbert-Coulson, of Bude-Stratton Town Council, said the authority had a “very strong” objection to the application, particularly to the two plots on the western side, which are in a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) impact zone and a coastal vulnerability zone. The town council believed the land should be preserved in perpetuity as an environmental buffer zone.

Planning consultant Guy Wakefield, for Acorn Blue, said that after consultation the applicant had removed two further homes on the western part of the site and one on the eastern side, as well as a reduction in height of a two-storey property to a single-storey. He said the principle of development was acceptable as the neighbourhood plan allows for up to 30 homes on greenfield sites adjacent to built-up areas.

He said the scheme would further redevelop the area and was a “well-considered residential scheme”, adding that providing up to 30 affordable homes should be regarded as a significant benefit given that at least 365 households are seeking affordable accommodation in Bude and Stratton.

Mr Wakefield said if the two plots on the western side were taken out it would affect the viability of the scheme and the affordable housing element – which would be a combination of affordable rent and shared ownership – would be lost.

How the west side of the Bude development could look (Pic: Acorn Blue)

Cllr Jenny Cruse said: “Eighty per cent of local rental is probably not affordable for locals. The concern here is that most of these properties will go as second homes, which is a terrible shame. I’d like to have seen more social rent or shared ownership.”

Local member Cllr Shorne Tilbey said the Cliff Hotel had ceased trading due to increasing running costs and the rival pressure of Airbnbs and other holiday businesses. The hotel would require considerable work to make it attractive to another operator.

However, he was very mindful of local concerns about the ecological harm of the proposals, particularly on neighbouring Maer Down. He said such sites as the one suggested should be used for social housing as there was a dire need for it in north Cornwall.

Cllr Barry Jordan said he believed the development would improve the area: “We can’t look back, we have to look forward.” Cllr Dominic Fairman, who proposed a vote to approve, and Cllr Cruse agreed. The proposals were approved unanimously by the committee.