Residents go head-to-head with developers over plans for Sandbanks peninsula
Sandbanks Community Group have put forward their own ideas for redevelopment
Plans for a near £300m development on Sandbanks peninsula in Poole have been challenged by around 150 local residents.
Developers, Fortitudo submitted plans to replace Sandbanks Hotel with a 183-bedroom ‘luxury hotel’ in addition to the 118 residential apartments and 38-suite ‘aparthotel’ which will replace the Haven Hotel.
But these plans have faced opposition from members of the Sandbanks Community Group.
Chairman of the group, Norman Allenby-Smith told us: “These plans would close off the landmark site forever and effectively make it a gated community that no one would have access to.”
The community group is asking BCP Council to consider their alternative scheme that would see a hotel retained on the site where the Haven Hotel currently sits.
They have proposed to build an “iconic” 100m structure with 40-60 luxurious hotel suites looking out onto the Old Harry Rocks and the Jurassic Coast.
Additionally, the plans highlight ambitions to create a “vibrant seaside esplanade” - connecting Sandbanks beach to the Ferry - lined with shops, cafés and restaurants as well as an “urban coastal park’ featuring a swimming lido.
Norman Allenby-Smith said: “Residents in the community group are keen to see more activity in sandbanks and more places for people to go because if you're living in an area like this, you want to be able to go out for a meal and do things like that.”
He believes this will “encourages people to come down to the area” and give Sandbanks a “real continental feel” making the suburb a year-round destination that will in turn support local jobs and enterprises.
But Fortitudo have called the Sandbanks Community Group’s proposals “poorly thought out, poorly executed and a complete waste of money.”
Fortitudo’s chief executive, Richard Carr described the group’s actions as an attempt to “frustrate them.”
He said: “I don’t consider their plans to be workable and honestly the way I view it is that it’s a just sideshow.”
The developers believe their plans – which were amended and resubmitted in May last year – delivers a comprehensive redevelopment of the whole Sandbanks peninsula, not just one part.
In response to community groups lido proposition, Mr Carr added: “Building a swimming pool in the sea is utter madness and the chances of getting that approved by the marine and maritime organisation is second to none.”
Nonetheless, the Sandbanks Community Group will submit their renders and pre-application documents to BCP Council last this year in March.