Derelict hotel could finally be redeveloped

Friday 20 January 2023

The Development & Planning Authority has produced a draft development framework which will be used to guide any development on the site of the derelict former St. Martins Hotel, with around 100 homes suggested.

The 7.6 vergées site falls within a local centre under the Island Development Plan, so it is seen as an area ripe for the creation of new housing.

Crucially, it is close to numerous supermarkets, a doctor's surgery and other healthcare facilities and it is near other residential units. The agricultural fields alongside it are excluded from any potential development. 

You can read more about how development frameworks help planners, developers and architects conform to planning regulations HERE. 

The public have until Friday 17 February to have their say on this framework. Comments can be submitted to planning@gov.gg.

The political members of the DPA will then review the feedback and decide whether to apply it to the site.

Islanders are invited to comment on a draft Development Framework that has been prepared to guide potential development within the boundaries of St Martin’s Hotel.

Read more at https://t.co/KEaflE49ld pic.twitter.com/a7D2GW0vmj

— States of Guernsey (@Govgg) January 19, 2023

The former St Martin's Country Hotel - once owned by British musician Ronnie Renalde - has been abandoned for around 10 years and it has suffered significant fire damage since then and fallen into a state of total disrepair.

The framework states that vehicular access is "adequate" but could be improved by any development. The amount of traffic passing the site will have increased since it was run as a hotel.

With new housing scarce in the island, the framework also suggests “multi storey buildings constitute a more efficient use of land than single storey buildings and therefore development proposals should consider such a design from the outset unless there are overriding reasons why this design approach would be unacceptable.

“Any such proposal for a multi storey design would however be expected to be of a scale and form that doesn’t unduly exceed the screening faculty of the trees on site to the surrounding area and adjacent properties. 

“A preliminary third party feasibility study proposes that the site is able to accommodate up to 90 dwellings per hectare for a sheltered housing scheme or 50 to 60 dwellings per hectare for other forms of residential development. This would amount to 112 dwellings or 62 to 75 dwellings respectively on the site.”

You can view the full draft framework HERE. 

Pictured: Many have suggested the site sould be used for key worker housing in lieu of building on the PEH valley field. 

The St Martin's Hotel has had planning permission in the past which has been left to lapse. 

In 2014 the owners were granted permission to demolish the hotel and to build 35 houses and flats on the site.

That permission lapsed in 2017.