Plans to demolish Lord Bute hotel in Highcliffe to create six homes

A HGIHCLIFFE hotel could be demolished to make way for six homes, new plans have revealed.

An application to level Lord Bute hotel, which sits in the original grounds of Highcliffe Castle, has been submitted to BCP Council.

It was taken over in 2023 by renowned chef Bradley Green who worked alongside Marco Pierre White before launching his own restaurant Green’s in 2013. The successful restaurant spawned a chain of eateries of the same name in the UK.

Long-term hotel manager Chris Denley remained in his role but left the Lord Bute last year.

In the planning application, Elliott Heron Ltd says it proposes to erect two three-bedroom homes and four four-bedroom homes on the Lymington Road site.

There would be car parking for 12 vehicles, which is three fewer than is there currently.

The hotel would be demolished along with its attached conservatory and “detachment from East Lodge”, itself the subject of two planning applications last year.

In March two applications were made to BCP Council planners for the lodge. One of which was to turn the lodge, formally used as part of the commercial kitchen linked to the restaurant, into a home. The other was listed building consent in order to carry out the work. Listed building consent was granted, but planners rejected the home plan.

Once the former residence of Lord Bute, John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute and Prime Minister of England from 1762-63, it was then called High Cliff.

Sections of the hotel were 18th century lodges built by his grandson, Lord Stuart de Rothesay who also built Highcliffe Castle.

It currently has 13 bedrooms including four luxury suites.