Hotel planning condition changed to make legal agreement enforceable

A planning condition attached to the approval of Strive’s proposed luxury hotel in St Peter has been amended to ensure the resulting legal agreement can be complied with.

The 155-bedroom hotel, proposed by SDJ Limited, was approved in March and will include a conference centre, spa treatment rooms and swimming pool. The decision followed the rejection of a larger version of the scheme late last year.

Planning Committee minutes originally stated that approval was subject to securing a four- or five-star hotel operator.

However, the planning obligation agreement requires the developer instead to provide evidence that the hotel is capable of achieving at least a four-star rating, or equivalent, from an independent grading body.

The agreement also requires the owner to take all reasonable steps to secure the rating within the hotel's first year of operation.

Infrastructure and Environment Department chief officer Andy Scate said the wording had been changed because star ratings depend not only on a hotel's facilities, but also on the standard of its operation and service.

He said ratings were generally awarded once a hotel was operational, explaining why the agreement allows up to 12 months after opening for the required information to be provided.

Former Planning Committee chair Philip Le Sueur had described the change as "slightly disappointing", but later accepted Mr Scate's explanation.

Mr Le Sueur said the committee's intention had been to ensure the development provided a "quality offering".

The scheme is backed by Sealyham Investments, chaired by Tom Scott, who is also chairman of Leicester Tigers rugby club.