Fears hotel redevelopment could block sea views

A campaign group has called for Cornish hotel redevelopment plans to be reduced in scale to prevent the local skyline being damaged.

Save Our Sea Views want the height of the plans for Newquay's Hotel Victoria, which has been closed since 2024, to be lowered due to concerns it could block sea views in the town.

Campaigners said there were not opposed to the development, but wanted a "better design that respects Newquay's identity as a coastal town", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The Nicolas James Group, who put forward the plans, said the proposed development would be "set back from the cliff edge to allow for the views into the site to be maintained and enhanced".

If approved, the proposal would lead to a number of buildings being demolished with the aim of bringing a new four or five-star hotel to the town, which would include five residential blocks with 81 apartments.

Campaigners raised concerns the apartment blocks were the primary focus of the current proposals, with the hotel itself not due for redevelopment for a number of years.

The group said it would like the height and massing of the apartment blocks to be reduced.

Jessie Jacobs, from Save Our Sea Views, said Newquay's connection to the sea "belongs to everyone" and "once those views are gone, they're gone forever".

"This is not about stopping regeneration, it's about shaping it properly," Jacobs added.

The application stated the apartment blocks do not compete in height with the hotel and would all be "comfortably" below its roof line.

The Nicolas James Group previously vowed to restore the hotel to its former glory and architects Kay Elliott, speaking on behalf of the applicants, said it hoped to reposition the site as a luxury hotel.

But the architects added the standalone residential apartment blocks were needed to "support the level of investment" the development required.

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