Captain’s Club Hotel’s multimillion-pound expansion plans recommended for BCP Council approval

MULTIMILLION-pound plans to revamp the Captain’s Club Hotel & Spa in Christchurch have been recommended for approval despite over 100 objections.

As reported in the A&T, the hotel wants to extend the hotel, which BCP Council tourism bosses have said will turn it into a “world class offering”.

Plans include add a fourth floor and an extension to create 29 extra bedrooms and seven luxury suites – six with balconies.

But revisions to the plans have not impressed Christchurch Town Council which says the changes have not “alleviated” previous concerns.

There were objections from Christchurch residents to the former plan with claims it “would dominate” the area, be “overbearing” and a “visual eyesore”.

The new plans have “stepped back” to “minimise the visual impact” and changed the cladding from dark grey to “much lighter” aluminium colour.

Turrets which featured on the last application have also been scrapped.

But the town council say the amendments have not gone far enough to deal with the “detrimental impact on neighbouring resident’s amenity and loss of privacy”.

There were 105 objections to the plans, although Highcliffe hotel The Lord Bute is supporting it, saying: “The additional rooms will bring much needed additional business to the town at this time of economic uncertainty when many small kcal businesses are struggling for survival.

“Supporting the application will provide much needed additional employment and secure the future prosperity of this excellent award winning hotel which we are lucky to have in our town.”

The town council has said the “massing of the proposal would not be compatible with the landscape and heritage characteristics of the riverside and the conservation area.”

One objector who lives near the hotel commented: “We have lived in reasonable harmony with this business for 20 years.

“The additional rooms will directly overlook my property infringing on my privacy in my home and garden. Additional noise nuisance and light pollution at night will affect our quality of life.

“We will have to live with this building for ever once this dreadful extension is built.”

Another neighbour pointed out that, at present, the hotel has 12 porthole windows on its rearside which would be replaced by 128 if the extension went ahead.

They said: “These will look directly into the windows of homes, some no more than 20 metres away, leading to a complete loss of privacy.”

But one local resident said they hoped the plans would be approved saying: “I have seen the amended plans as recently submitted. I maintain full support for the planning application.

“The reduction in scale and change in design of the proposed upper floor extension is entirely appropriate.”

BCP Council will decide on the plans at a meeting on Wednesday.