The Planning Inspectorate has rejected a seafront hotel owner’s appeal to turn his “eyesore” holiday accommodation into residential flats over fears it would damage the tourist economy.
Janak Masrani proposed to convert one of two buildings which make up The Sea Princess Hotel on North Drive, Great Yarmouth, into 10 flats.
But it was refused by Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s development control committee in October 2019, citing fears of “overdevelopment”, and the plans’ incompatibility with holiday accommodation policies.
Now, Mr Masrani’s appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, challenging the borough council’s refusal, has also been dismissed.
In response, Mr Masrani said: “Of course I am disappointed with the decision that’s been made, but I do not wish to comment further at this stage.”
Inspector Jonathan Price, in a decision notice issued on August 27, said Mr Masrani’s plans to turn part of the annexe building into flats would conflict with Great Yarmouth’s role as “one of the nation’s main seaside holiday resorts”.
In the document, Mr Price outlined that the property is within a primary holiday accommodation area, designated in the 2001 Great Yarmouth borough-wide local plan.
This policy, known as “HOU22”, says “the conversion of use of properties to permanent residential uses within primary holiday accommodation areas will not be permitted... in an effort to preserve prime holiday accommodation”.
Under the “reasons” for which Mr Price dismissed the appeal, he said that increasing residential development would come at the expense of hotel frontage.
But a design and access statement submitted as part of the planning application, which Mr Masrani lodged in July 2018, said sales from flats would drive investment in the main hotel, adding: “At the moment both buildings are an eyesore”.
It goes on: “With the amount of profits made it is impossible to cover any ‘wear and tear’ let alone any badly needed renovations to keep in line as to what the tourists need and the expectations of Great Yarmouth Borough Council as decent accommodation.
“Please refer to comments made on Trip Advisor and Booking.com - The Sea Princess Hotel is badly in need of repair and renovations.”
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