Contemporary Luxury Hotel Proposal

Planning Notes Relating To The Proposed Development Of A Contemporary Luxury Hotel, Arbory Street, Castletown

The attached application attempts to show the basic layout for the creation of a Contemporary luxury Hotel within the heart of Castletown. The opportunity exists to convert an existing unused four-storey building and a largely derelict and forgotten site into a regeneration project that can benefit the whole area in terms of both commerce and conservation.

The basic concept is to create a hotel of approximately sixteen suites. Within the hotel, provision will be made for the creation of a modern dining lounge, a first floor restaurant and a contemporary cocktail bar. Additionally, it is proposed to incorporate a small scale luxury private screening room (size to be determined) and to create a stunning courtyard within the shadow of Castle Rushen.

The facility will be targeted at the upper end of all its target markets and will be designed accordingly. Considerable use will be made of reclaimed limestone (from within the existing site) and a priority will be to employ a vernacular style in keeping with historic Castletown and reflecting the conservation area.

The creation of professionally landscaped open areas will be a central theme of the design, which will contrast with the town centre location.

The retention of the current archway design leading into the existing site, along with other aspects of the exterior design will make a strong statement about the hotel.

Despite being within two miles of the Island's only airport and being local to some of the Island's largest businesses, as well as some of our biggest towns, Castletown town centre still has no significant traditional hotel accommodation and associated facilities. All of the facilities in the proposed development will be available to the local population.

Although there are currently approved applications for relatively high-density residential units on the site the enclosed plan indicates low-density building and an emphasis on open space. It is our hope that these aspects will be considered significant given that we do not propose to incorporate car parking within the site. To do so, would we feel, destroy the ambience that is afforded by this unique conservation site. Our justification is reinforced by the town centre nature of the site and the fact that residential units exist (at 19 Malew Street) without existing car parking.

Furthermore, it is also commercially significant to request the additional storey for residential use at 19 Malew Street. It will be seen that the only residential element is in respect of three apartments on the site of 19 Malew Street. This is in accordance with previous approvals granted in respect of the adjoining, now almost derelict property.

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15 1/11 2001

We would ask that the issue of both car parking and the requested additional storey to 19 Malew Street be viewed as commercially significant in the overall plan for this unique opportunity to breathe new life into a significant area of town centre, Castletown.

Finally, we would wish to stress that the proposal is not in any way a speculative application to attract a third party developer, but is based on genuine desire to move to development in the shortest possible timeframe.