'Scaled back' plans for former ‘Pink Hotel' in Cornwall

PBHH Ltd, owners of the former Pendower Beach House Hotel, to give the hotel its official name, have put forward new plans to Cornwall Council for the regeneration of the site, which they describe as disused and “largely derelict”.

These, they say, have been “scaled back” from those submitted in the original 2020 planning application.

After feedback from the general public, as well as the parish councils of Philleigh, Gerrans and Veryan, and Friends of Pendower Beach organisation, the new plans are said to be 25% smaller in size.

They now involve demolition of part of the existing buildings and conversion of part of the existing hotel building, together with new building work, to create three replacement open market residential homes and a 20-unit apartment hotel, made up of two and three bed family self-catering holiday-let suites.

Alongside these would be a public café and restaurant featuring 40 internal and up to 40 external covers, a shop for use by self-catering visitors and beachgoers, and on-site accommodation for staff.

The previous application had been for a 14-bedroom boutique hotel with a new restaurant at ground level, which during the day would operate as a café, along with 25 residential apartments.

Speaking of the new proposals, PBHH said it would provide “year-round economic benefit to the local economy, including local jobs”, with employment for 12 to 15 staff on site at any one time, and two to four staff on site at all times.

What the hotel looks like now (top) and how it would look after development (bottom) (Image: Koha)

The owners said: “Designed to attract year-round visitors, including families with younger children, groups of couples, mature families, and retirees, the aparthotel has a key role to play in bringing valuable spending power to the local area. “Benefiting local businesses, shops, pubs, cafes, outlets, and attractions, as well as services that supply the aparthotel, the hotel will become a net contributor to the local economy.”

They said the project requires approximately £1 million of “necessary stabilisation work” to protect road access to Pendower Beach and its slipway, adding that the regeneration of the hotel would also “future-proof Rocky Lane against coastal erosion for future generations to come.”

They added: “Central to the regeneration plans is the protection of the sensitive local environment within which the hotel sits.”

This would include the use of green roofs, enhanced native planting, retention of significant trees, the increase of canopy cover by 15%, and the use of additional Cornish hedging.

Johnny Goldsmith, local businessman and founder of PBHH Ltd, said: “Over the past 17 years we have listened carefully to the views of the local community, revising and reducing our plans to take account of feedback, while ensuring that the future of the hotel remains viable in a way that enhances the Roseland Peninsula.

“Bringing income into the wider economy, creating jobs, and both protecting and enhancing the environment, we hope that the new and significantly scaled back plans will be widely welcomed.”

The Pendower Beach House Hotel was famously pink. Photo: Tony Atkin

Recently joining PBHH Ltd as an investor is Dr David Mlynski, who has a PHD in ecology and was brought up in Veryan.

He said he had witnessed the hotel “fall into a sad state of dereliction,” adding: “The plans that we are putting forward are designed to sensitively breateh life back into the site, regenerating and transforming the former hotel into a valuable local asset that will not only attract affluent visitors, bringing money into the local economy, but also enhance amenities for locals and users of the beach through the restaurant, café and beach shop.

“In particular, the plans pay special attention to the ecology of this site, which is my particular area of interest. Measures such as bat and bird boxes, bee bricks, and the introduction of a new purpose-built bat roost building - designed to support populations of lesser horseshoe and common pipistrelle bats - will all help to generate an ecological net gain.”

A further community engagement event will take place at Philleigh Village Hall/Community Centre between 4pm and 6pm on Monday, March 18.

Full details of the plans can also be viewed on Cornwall Council’s planning portal, under reference PA24/00042, where public comments can also be left.