74-bedroom hotel annexe at Beefeater Restaurant Bourne Mill Business Park, Farnham

What was proposed

The application sought to demolish the restaurant and build a four-storey annexe providing 74 bedrooms for the existing hotel.

“The proposed building would consist of two wings in an L-shaped plan, located partially on the site of the existing Beefeater Restaurant building. It would extend closer to both Guildford Road frontage and the access road into the Bourne Mill Business Park but would provide an increased gap between it and the existing Premier Inn. The western wing would be oriented north-south and sited parallel to the existing hotel building.”

“The Premier Inn is outside the red line boundary for the application site. An internal reconfiguration of space on the ground floor of the existing hotel building is proposed, to provide a restaurant for the use of hotel guests only. This would result in the loss of 7 bedrooms within that building, resulting in a net increase of 67 bedrooms to provide a total of 128 rooms across the two buildings of the expanded hotel.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site is in Bourne Mill Business Park beside the existing Premier Inn, near residential properties, a watercourse and a listed building.

“The application site is located in the Bourne Mill Business Park close to the road frontage, approximately 750m to the east of the Farnham Town Centre Boundary. It comprises the now-closed Beefeater Restaurant, which is itself immediately to the east of the Farnham Premier Inn, a three-storey building that provides 61 bedrooms with its main entrance facing the Beefeater restaurant.”

“The site of the proposed building is within Flood Zone 2, where there is a moderate risk of fluvial flooding. There is an ordinary watercourse to the west of the site, close to the existing Premier Inn building.”

Officer report

Earlier planning history

An earlier application for a hotel, pub and restaurant with parking and landscaping was granted in 2014.

“Proposal Decision WA/2013/1243 Erection of a three storey hotel (Class C1) and part single/part two storey pub/restaurant (Class A3/A4) together with car parking and landscaping following demolition of existing buildings (as amended by emails dated 16/10/2013, 06/11/2013 and 02/12/2013 and information received and amplified by email dated 11/10/2013 and information received 11/10/2013). Granted, 31/07/2014”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval, finding the design and scale acceptable, residential impacts limited and the additional visitor accommodation economically beneficial.

“The planning balance assessment concludes that the proposed building is of acceptable design and scale, and with the use of high quality building materials and landscaping it would be appropriate to its setting. The proposal will not result negatively on the amenities of neighbouring residential occupiers, and the economic benefits of providing additional visitor accommodation at this edge of Town Centre would be significant.”

“That permission be GRANTED subject to the following conditions:”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Farnham Town Council and the Urban Design Officer objected to aspects of the design, while other consultees raised no objection, subject to conditions.

“Farnham Town Council Objection Environmental Health (AQ) No objection Environmental Health (ground conditions) No objection Environmental Health (noise) No objection Surrey Police (Designing Out Crime) No objection SCC LLFA (Surface Water Drainage) No objection Surrey County Council (Highways) No objection Thames Water Utilities No objection WBC Urban Design Objection Environment Agency No objection…”

“The initial Farnham Town Council objection stated that “Although the design is said to reflect the industrial character of the area, no other industrial units are three storeys plus. The existing hotel is much more sensitively designed within the vicinity of the Grade II”

Officer report

What residents said

Nine objection letters raised concerns about the building’s scale, appearance, privacy, traffic, parking, business impacts and other matters.

“Nine letters of objection have been received which raise the following issues:”

“(i) Unacceptable height, mass, footprint, location and overdominance in the streetscene; visually unattractive. (ii) Intrusion on privacy. (iii) Impact on access into and out of the flats on the north side of Guildford Road. (iv) Additional traffic would be generated. (v) Fails to reflect the Farnham vernacular or the design of the existing hotel. (vi) The Transport Statement is based on out-of-date data.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The ward councillor made a representation to the committee.

Committee debate and vote

After debate, seven members supported the officers’ recommendation and four opposed it, with no abstentions.

“Following debate, the Committee voted in favour of the officers recommendation to grant permission 7 in favour, no abstention and 4 against.”

Minutes

The committee’s decision

The committee granted planning permission subject to conditions 1 to 20 and informatives 1 to 8.

“Subject to conditions 1-20 and informatives 1-8, planning permission be GRANTED”

Minutes