THE fate of a plan to build a £50m hotel by the Airport will be decided today.
It is the second time that the project – brought forward by Strive Health Club and its investors – has been before the Planning Committee, a group of politicians who decide on larger and more controversial applications.
If approved the 155-bed hotel, which will be run by an international chain such as Marriott or Hilton, will be build next to the gym and health club along the Airport Road. The land, which is currently the Strive car park, is in the green zone.
A larger hotel to the one proposed today was rejected by the committee in November.
The new incarnation’s floorspace is a little under 10% smaller than the previous one; the H-shaped building is set back more than the first plan; and it has lost a storey – so down from six to five with a maximum height of 18.2m compared to the 22.1m of the previous application
A significance difference to today’s proposal is that Planning now recommend to the committee that it supports the application; something it did not do in November.
Supporters of the scheme – including the government’s Economy Department, the Jersey Hospitality Association, the nearby rugby club, Jersey Business and Visit Jersey – have once again voiced their approval, as have most individuals formally commenting on the application.
Many supporters have emphasised the boost that a new international branded hotel and conference centre, located near the Airport and integrated into Strive, would have on the visitor economy.
Others have praised the design, and the design changes, and the suitability of the location.
Those against have again shared their disapproval, including former Planning Committee chair Alastair Layzell and former Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf. The government’s planning policy team has also voiced objections.
Their concerns focus on the scale and form of the proposed building as well as its green zone location, the dropping of a plan to build indoor sports facilities behind, and whether the scheme complies with the Bridging Island Plan, the rulebook against which all applications are judged.
Deputy Renouf and fellow former Environment Minister John Young have also expressed concerns about PFAS contamination at the site.
One topic that the committee will have to grapple with is parking: the proposal relies heavily on using overflow parking at the Aero Club opposite. A submission from Strive managing director Ben Harvey says that ‘heads of terms’ had been agreed between Strive and the club for the use of 94 spaces in its car park over the road.
However, the club has also formally commented on the application to say that, while broadly supportive of the scheme, no final agreement on parking has been agreed.
