Pendower Beach Hotel Regeneration proposals go on show
Proposals have gone on show for the regeneration and development of the former Pendower Beach House Hotel site, at Pendower Beach, on the Roseland Peninsula.
The aim is to bring new life and considerable physical and environmental improvements to the site of the former ‘pink hotel’ which has sat derelict for more than a decade.
An exhibition on Wednesday, July 3rd, 2019, at the Shallikabooky Beach Hut cafe, Pendower Beach, saw Penryn-based Koha Architects outline their vision for a sympathetic mixed-use regeneration scheme while retaining the original farmhouse, which is the oldest building on the site, as a centre-piece to the development.
The plans include a 14-bedroom boutique hotel with new restaurant at ground level which during the day would operate as a café to serve general visitors, beach-goers and walkers from the South West Coast Path.
Also proposed are 25 residential apartments, landscaping, environmental and public amenity improvements.
A key part of the project would see the stabilisation of the existing access road to the beach, future-proofing it against coastal erosion.
The proposals have been informed by previous consultation and feedback involving local residents, elected members and representative groups, Cornwall Council and Cornwall Wildlife Trust. This included a public meeting in January 2018, when a show of hands supported redeveloping the site but not in the form that was presented that night. Many people expressed their desire for the retention of a hotel on site provided any development was in keeping with the special character and nature of the location.
Gary Wyatt, of Koha Architects, said: “There have been significant changes in response to the views of local people. We believe the result is an exciting scheme which strikes the right balance in regenerating this brownfield site in a way which enhances its setting and achieves many environmental, ecological, access and other physical improvements which will benefit visitors and the local community.
“The site deserves the highest level of attention, given the multiple designations that exist upon it. We are committed as a development team to a proposal of the highest quality which will enhance this unique setting which has become sadly neglected.”
Koha are also working with Cornwall Wildlife Trust with the aim of the proposed scheme becoming the first in Cornwall to achieve ‘Building with Nature’ accreditation through the incorporation of wildlife-friendly design and high-quality green infrastructure.
This would include green roofs, bat and bird boxes, planting for biodiversity and the creation of wet woodland ponds.
Other improvements would include removal of existing septic tanks on site and replacement with a high-quality sewage treatment system; proposed ground source heat pump technology to replace existing liquid fuel system and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels for heating / cooling; re-routing of existing overhead power cables underground.
Koha Architects are keen to get as much feedback as possible as they continue to refine the scheme prior to submitting a planning application.