The former owner of the Falmouth Beach Hotel has criticised plans for its replacement, claiming the proposed “liner” building will be out of place and is also opposing the planned redevelopment of a property in Stracey Road.

Hazel Evans, who owned the Falmouth Beach Hotel before it burned down in 2012, has written on Cornwall Council’s planning register: “In 2012 the local authorities and many people in the Falmouth area were adamant that anything built on the site of the former Falmouth Beach Hotel should be tourism related and yet we now see an application for 56 residential apartments.

“This proposed ultra modern flat roofed building will be totally out of place in this conservation area where there is currently a continuity of design features in all other properties.”

Mrs Evans is also critical of the design of the apartment building proposed to replace The Cottage on Stracey Road.

Nigel Carpenter, owner of the Michael’s Hotel and Spa and the neighbouring hotel site, has submitted plans to transform the area into a spa and wellness resort.

The £30 million project includes a |building shaped like an ocean going liner which would be built on the site of the fire ravaged hotel and would house 56 |residential units.

There are also plans to demolish three houses in Stracey Road and replace them with a total of 19 additional apartments. The project would also result in 85 hotel bedrooms and suites, four eco lodges, a new shop and restaurant along with parking for 168 vehicles, 104 of them underground.

While the general response to the |proposals so far has been positive following an initial period of consultation, several people have also taken to Cornwall Council’s planning website to lodge their objections.

These include Falmouth Civic Society, which while supporting the development overall, is objecting to the design of the “liner” building claiming it could “permanently disfigure the waterfront.”

A spokesman has written: “We would like it to be known that we fully support the aims, ambitions and overall brief for the development of the hotel. We believe such a range of facilities and accommodation will be beneficial to Falmouth's economy and build on the town's reputation nationally as a premier tourist destination and a very desirable place to live.

“Our objection concerns design and the physical and visual impact of the ‘liner’ building. The site is both significant and prominent, and so the impact of any |building there will be seen from the whole of the bay’s waterfront, and also from the sea. We believe that such a building should be of the very highest architectural quality, and are in favour of a contemporary design.

“However, the proposed design of this building is very poor, and is likely to |permanently disfigure the waterfront.

“Its form and massing is oppressive and design mediocre, looking much like an |ordinary commercial building.

“Our opinion is that this building is |simply not good enough, and falls far short of architecture that would be an asset to the town.”

Several people living in the area have also voiced their objections to the application. These can be seen at www.cornwall.gov.uk by searching for PA14/07349.