Planning Inspector Rejects Isle of Wight Hotel’s Expansion Appeal

The aspirations of a hotel on the Isle of Wight to expand have been unsuccessful after a planning inspector dismissed its appeal. The owners of Luccombe Manor Country House Hotel, located in Shanklin, had submitted an application for permission to construct a 10-bedroom extension and to create three additional bedrooms by reconfiguring its current layout. Nevertheless, Garden Isle Hotels had its initial application denied by the Isle of Wight Council, and the subsequent appeal was also turned down by a planning inspector. The inspector determined that the proposed extension’s design “would overwhelm the original manor house” that houses the hotel. Although it was argued that the expansion would benefit local businesses and tourism on the Isle of Wight, the inspector further noted that its adverse impact on the surrounding area would be “long lasting,” which was cited as the reason for the appeal’s rejection.