Campaigners list objections to St Ives Premier Inn

A campaign group has listed eight objections to the development of a Premier Inn in St Ives.

The group, made up of 600 people, has listed concerns over privacy, noise and parking after an application was submitted for a 90-room hotel in the Cornish town.

Cornwall Council's planning committee had previously refused the plans on Trewidden Road but an appeal has been filed with a public hearing set for March.

A Premier Inn spokesperson said: "We remain committed to our plans to bring a Premier Inn to St Ives and our belief that it will generate year-round employment and bring economic benefit to the town."

They added: "We were, of course, disappointed that our proposals were turned down by the members of Cornwall Council's West Cornwall sub-area Planning Committee in April last year.

"A date has been set for an appeal hearing on 19 March and our teams are working to meet the requirements set out by the Planning Inspectorate ahead of the hearing."

The group has raised £7,500 in its fight against what it calls the "relentless monstrosity" and has listed the following concerns:

• It would breach the historic skyline and ruin the landscape
• It would be unneighbourly in the extreme and would result in significant loss of privacy and more noise
• It would result in the closure of the last remaining care home in St Ives
• It would provide only 20 parking spaces for a 90-bed hotel
• It would be built on a road that is already congested for much of the year
• It is not needed as there is already an over-supply of tourist accommodation of all kinds
• There is no compelling economic case to justify lasting damage to the affected residential area and town skyline
• No one supports this development

A spokesperson for the group said: "Whitbread's claim to add 64,000 visitors (including 22,500 business visitors) to the St Ives night-time economy is fantasy.

"If the figures were true, that would represent a 30% increase in overnight visitors to a town already overrun with tourists."

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors also felt the development would result in an adverse impact upon the area and skyline due to its height and massing.

The public hearing will be held on 19 March at the Tregenna Castle Hotel in St Ives.

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