Plan for new hotel in Chesterfield is shelved in favour of proposal for 40 apartments

Instead, developers have put forward a new proposal for Basil Court which is to build an apartment block containing 40 flats with commercial units on the ground floor.

The planned apartments would stand alongside another proposed block containing 34 flats. Consent for plans to build a 133-room hotel and an adjacent block of 34 apartments was granted in September 2021.

However, the applicant Belmont Projects states in a submission to Chesterfield Borough Council that Covid had impacted the economic climate for the worse and there had been a change in demand. Belmont Projects consulted with several hotel operators such as Whitbread PLC (Premier Inn) and IHG (Holiday Inn) and their consensus was:

*The current hotel design and layout was not suitable for their design model;

*To redesign the scheme would result in a drop in rooms from 133 to 60-65 units which would not be commercially viable due to operating costs;

*The demand in that area was seasonal with at best 60% occupancy during quiet times which fell short of their target;

*Research had shown there was already ample supply of hotel rooms in the area and the market was saturated.

As a result Belmont Projects has partnered with housing assciation Guinness Partnership in presenting a revised scheme. The statement said: “If this proposal is granted, this will offer Chesterfield Council 74 high-quality units for the housing stock in the affordable housing market. There is no loss of employment by change of use from hotel to apartments as this is offset by the commercial unit below the apartments. Research suggest that there is a possibility of net gain to employment if the commercial unit is sub-divided into several commercial units.”

Future occupants would be encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport with 52 bike spaces and eight disabled parking spaces allocated to the latest proposed apartment block.There are several pay-to-park sites within three minutes’ walk of the location.

Belmont Projects is seeking the borough council’s approval for a non-material amendment to the existing planning permission for change of use from a hotel to apartments with commercial space below.