Blyth Hotel Station Road Southwold Suffolk IP18 6AY Data via plota.co.uk

DC/25/3239/FUL - Full Application Approved

Proposal

Alterations to complete conversion to Aparthotel Data via plota.co.uk

View original council record ↗Last checked

Application progress

✓
Received
20 Aug 2025
✓
Validated
1 Sept 2025
✓
Approved
4 Dec 2025
✓
Appeal allowed
25 Feb 2026

Approved on 4 Dec 2025 · Delegated Decision · Last checked 13 Oct 2026

Documents 20

All documents on the council site ↗

Associated applications 2

Site constraints 7

Suffolk Coast & Heaths National Landscape
Great weight to conserving the landscape; major development restricted.
Previously an area of outstanding natural beauty, which is still the designation in law. Since 2023 authorities must seek to further its purpose, not merely have regard to it.
Southwold conservation area
Demolition needs planning permission and permitted development is restricted.
The council must give weight to preserving or enhancing the area's character and appearance. Not every council has published its boundaries as open data.
Council document ↗
In flood zones plus climate change
Inside the extent flood zones 2 and 3 could reach with climate change: the Central allowance for the 2080s on rivers, the Upper End allowance for sea level rise to 2125. From the sea. Defences are not counted.
The Environment Agency flood map for planning. Councils use it to decide when a flood risk assessment and the sequential test are needed. It is indicative and does not show whether a particular property will flood.
Flood map ↗
Heritage coast: Suffolk
A defined stretch of undeveloped coastline.
Development inconsistent with keeping the coast undeveloped is resisted.
Habitat network: Network Enhancement Zone 2
Where habitat is joined up enough to work as a network. Context, not a constraint on its own.
Also on the record
Inside the Southwold built-up area; Natural England's Provisional ALC map (1:250,000, 1970s) had this area as grade 4, but it predates the buildings here and the current map does not class it as farmland.
Not affected
Outside flood zones 2 and 3 · Not green belt · No listed building at the site

Checked on 12 October 2026. Historic England, the Environment Agency, Natural England and council datasets, Open Government Licence. A boundary can run through a site and the council holds the definitive record: confirm with the council before relying on this.

Building

Floor area609 m² (6,555 sq ft)
Energy ratingC (asset rating 62)
UseHotels
HeatingHeating and Natural Ventilation

From the energy performance certificate lodged in December 2024, the latest held for this property. The building may have changed since. View the certificate

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Important details

Application type
Full Application
Postcode
IP18 6AY
Received
20 Aug 2025
Validated
1 Sept 2025
Ward
Southwold
Parish
Southwold
Case officer
Show
Target decision
5 Dec 2025
Decision
Application Permitted
Decision date
4 Dec 2025
Decision level
Delegated Decision
Appeal
Allowed · 25 Feb 2026 · Written Representations · Inspectorate case 3374625 ↗
Applicant
Show
Agent
Brooks Architects Ltd
Freehold owner
Show

How this decision compares

Decided in 94 days from validation, 38 days slower than East Suffolk's median of 56 for full applications. Approved, as 93% of full applications here are.

52%decided within 8 weeks
93%approved
1,256decided in the last year

Plota live figures for full applications decided by East Suffolk in the last twelve months, from validation. East Suffolk decision record →

Public comments

No public comments yet.

2 neighbours consulted · Last counted 13 Oct 2026

Read the comments on the council site ↗

Consultation & key dates

Statutory expiry
27 Oct 2025
Env. assessment
No
East Suffolk
Planning Authority Score
5.3/10
Average
#129 of 296 councils
Relevant to this application:
Householder decisions

East Suffolk ranks #183 out of 296 councils for householder decision speed. Householder applications are slightly more likely to be approved here (95%) than the national average (90%).

These figures are council-wide context, not a prediction for this application. View full council performance
East Suffolk decision statistics
Based on MHCLG data, the year to March 2026
92%
Overall approval rate
Above avg (87%) #81 of 296
95%
Householder approved
Above avg (90%) #76 of 296
60%
Decided in 8 weeks
Below avg (63%) #183 of 296
42%
Extended time limit
Above avg (41%) #162 of 296
80%
Minor dwellings approved
212 decided (1-9 homes)
100%
Major dwellings approved
19 decided (10+ homes)
81%
Change of use approved
139 decided
1,965
Total decisions
158 refused in the year to March 2026

Freehold boundary: © Crown copyright and database rights 2026, HM Land Registry. Polygons © Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey 100026316. Conditions of use

Energy performance: Energy performance certificates from the Energy Performance of Buildings Register, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright 2026.

Freehold owner: Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Source: HM Land Registry, UK and overseas companies that own property in England and Wales, September 2026 release.