A beachside guesthouse that has been empty for more than a decade could be redeveloped into a boutique hotel with 25 apartments under new plans.

It involves the former Pendower Beach House Hotel site at Pendower Beach, on the Roseland Peninsula - known locally as the "Pink Hotel" for its pastel paintwork.

Developers now want to turn it into a 14-bedroom boutique hotel with a new restaurant at ground level, which during the day would operate as a café serving general visitors, beach-goers and walkers from the South West Coast Path.

Also proposed are 25 residential apartments, together with general landscaping of the area and what is described as "environmental and public amenity improvements", including the creation of wet woodland ponds.

Penryn-based Koha Architects has drawn up a scheme which would retain the original farmhouse - the oldest building on the site - and see the new additions built around it.

Falmouth Packet:

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

The firm said a key part of the project would be the stabilisation of the existing Rocky Lane access road to the beach, future-proofing it against coastal erosion.

It described the proposals, which have been developed over two years of consultation, as bringing "new life and considerable physical and environmental improvements to the site."

A public meeting was held in January 2018 and a public exhibition in July 2019, the feedback from which had resulted in "significant changes" to the scheme, said the architects.

These took on board the opinions of local residents, councillors, Cornwall Council, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and the National Trust.

Changes include incorporating a hotel in the plans, using the original farmhouse, as opposed to demolishing all the buildings and replacing them with a beach café/restaurant, shop, eight semi-detached houses and 12 apartments as previously suggested.

The plans also now include changes to the building design and materials, moving some residential units and parking from the northern part of the site to the southern end to improve the visual impact on the valley, keeping all existing wet woodland and adding a new workshop and dedicated bat roost.

Ecological features such as Cornish hedging to increase biodiversity and reduce impact of light and activity from the development on the surrounding wildlife have also been added.

Falmouth Packet:

A computer image of the changes what would be made to the existing farmhouse. Image: James Lawley

Gary Wyatt, of Koha Architects, said: “What we have seen locally is support for the principle of redeveloping the site, and in particular a desire for the retention of a hotel, provided any development is in keeping with the special character and nature of the location.

“We believe the proposals submitted strike the right balance in achieving a scheme which will bring new life to this sadly neglected site, enhance Pendower Beach and support local tourism whilst providing local employment and income generation."

He added that the aim was for a "sensitive and appropriate" residential development that would enable the wider regeneration of the site to bring improvements that should benefit visitors and the local community.

Koha is also working with the Cornwall Wildlife Trust to become the first scheme in Cornwall to achieve ‘Building with Nature’ accreditation through the incorporation of wildlife-friendly design and green infrastructure.

This would include aspects such as green roofs, bat and bird boxes, additional trees planting for biodiversity and the creation of wet woodland ponds.

Gary Wyatt added: “Planting for biodiversity and the creation of wet woodland areas which incorporate a nature walk for guests, residents and visitors as well as wildflower meadow areas to promote biodiversity well exceed the minimum standards set by DEFRA. This is a good example of how the developer and design team aim to provide an exemplary scheme.”

Other changes would include removing the existing septic tanks on site and replacing them with a sewage treatment system, proposed ground source heat pump technology to replace the existing liquid fuel system and reduce the reliance on fossil fuels, and re-routing existing overhead power cables underground.

The full planning application and information on the formal planning consultation that will be carried out by Cornwall Council is not currently live but is expected to be available to view in the next few days on the Cornwall Council planning portal using reference PA20/03842.