A sea fronting restaurant in Falmouth has launched a second attempt to carry out major works, including a replacement building and new apartment.

Hooked on the Rocks at Swanpool was refused permission by Cornwall Council back in August last year for the same project, with the planning committee saying they felt that the modern design of the new building would be out of keeping with the local area.

Now the restaurant has submitted new plans, again to demolish the existing single-storey restaurant and replace it with a two-storey building to include a new restaurant and apartment, but with what it describes as being "a better contribution to the character of the area."

BW Planning have submitted documents in collaboration with Owen + Co for Pentagon Facilities Ltd, the applicant.

In them they said: "This planning application is intended to overcome the reason for refusal, with a more appropriate addition to the street scene and a better contribution to the character of the area."

Referring to the previous planning refusal, they state: "This prompted a redesign, which has been guided by informal conversations with a planning officer and a pre-application discussion with Falmouth Town Council’s planning committee members in November 2021.

"It became apparent that the architectural concept of a contemporary ‘box’, with a flat roof, divided local opinion, hence the resistance to [previous application] PA21/11112.

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"Therefore the use of a hipped roof, in keeping with the neighbouring dwelling ‘Plymtot’, is considered to be a significant step toward finding an acceptable balance between traditional and contemporary architecture in this prominent coastal location."

The proposed new building would consist of a restaurant on the lower ground floor and ground floor, along with the kitchen and a terrace for outdoor seating, with toilets, cellar and storage leading from the car park upstairs to the restaurant, and a two-bedroom apartment on the first floor.

"[In] the proposed site plan, the footprint of the new building moves northwards by approximately 2m, preserving the storage area between the restaurant and neighbouring Plymtot, but also creating a space wide enough to park a car, for use by either a member of restaurant staff or the occupiers of the residential apartment.

"At the northern tip of the site, off-street car parking for approximately two vehicles is achieved with a permeable gravel-surfaced parking area," adds the planners.

Explaining the reason for the redevelopment, they state: "The proprietors of the existing business explain that one of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic has been a reduction in revenue. This has amplified the need to redevelop the site and make the restaurant business fit for the future, combing a more effective use of space within a building with lower operating costs.

The proposed new design for the restaurant Picture: Owen & Co/Cornwall Council

The proposed new design for the restaurant Picture: Owen & Co/Cornwall Council

"The less energy required to heat the building the better. The proprietors intend to use a reduction in costs and a revival of business turnover to enable them to retain more staff and to have a less seasonal pattern of business, with an aspiration to meet customer demand throughout the year.

"Personal protective equipment (PPE) and additional cleaning materials have become a necessity for many businesses, yet this requires storage space and the existing configuration of the restaurant site no longer provides enough storage space. A small office / administration area will enable the proprietors to operate a more effective booking system and improve their record keeping, making it easier to fulfil data protection requirements.

"A residential apartment at first floor level could diversify the income stream from the existing restaurant site, be it a rental income from a long term letting or an income from holiday occupancy.

"A seasonal variation in the restaurant’s income could be mitigated by a steady income stream from the apartment, thus helping the applicant to recover the capital cost of the redevelopment project whilst meeting some of the costs associated with running the lower portion of the proposed building as a restaurant. The local authority would benefit from either council tax or business rates, depending on the occupancy of the apartment."

And they add that for many hospitality businesses 2020 and 2021 were difficult years, with "economic uncertainty" continuing into 2022.

"Therefore the need to make the best use of land and property and to have a building that contributes to the growth and sustainability of a business is more apparent than ever.

"The proprietors of the Hooked on the Rocks business recognise their responsibilities as a local employer and strive to create an asset to attract and retain new staff as well as new customers. A new home for a long-established local business is considered to be long overdue," conclude the planners.

The full plans can be viewed on the Cornwall Council website PA22/02939, where comments can be left as part of the public consultation.