A vacant Isle of Wight seafront hotel ravaged by a 2018 fire could be demolished and replaced with flats.
Farid Barsoum has submitted an application to the Isle of Wight Council for the demolition of a fire-damaged part of the Tarvic 2 Hotel on Culver Parade in Sandown.
It is currently described as in a ‘very poor state of repair’, and the application is to build ten two-bedroom apartments in its place.
Mr Barsoum’s development proposal also includes 13 extra parking spaces.
A statement prepared by Island-based firm Macaire Associates said:
“Tarvic 2 Hotel is in a very poor state of repair and has suffered fire damage to the southwest side of the property.
“The applicant’s overall plan is to redevelop the site as a whole, with this being split into two to three phases, with the first phase being to redevelop the fire damaged portion of the site, to form new, self-contained two-bedroom residential apartments.
“It is intended that the later phases will incorporate both residential units and an apart-hotel, providing an element of holiday-tourist accommodation.
“This is though subject to design and negotiation with the local planning authority (LPA), as part of a further planning application.
“The proposed redevelopment seeks to follow the current trend and indeed LPA advice, to take a more modern and contemporary approach to the overall design, this includes the materials to be used.”
The architectural designers added proposals were for a ‘modern block’ with ‘substantial glazing’ and ‘enclosed glass balconies’.
Sandown resident Bruce Webb, who objected to the application, said:
“Although I would welcome any development of the existing site which is doing much harm to local tourism businesses, the proposed development is little more than a box with grey windows.
“Could there not be some architectural value added to the building as what is being demolished was once an attractive Victorian building?
“Admittedly, buildings either side of the development have been insensitively changed but this is an opportunity for something attractive to be built from the ashes of the previous building.”
A public consultation on the application finishes on February 7 and the council is expected to make a decision on April 8.