A DECISION to demolish one of Polzeath's most dominant buildings has been deferred for a site meeting.

An application has been submitted to North Cornwall District Council by KPM Projects to demolish the former Pinewood Hotel and associated outbuildings and replace it with houses and flats.

The site adjoins the main road into Polzeath from Trebetherick and has an access road opposite the Oyster Catcher.

The properties can be seen from all over the village, dominating the skyline. At a recent NCDC planning meeting councillors decided to defer the decision and hold a site meeting on Friday, February 13 to discuss the plans in more detail.

If the application is successful the development could comprise eight terraced houses next to the road, four semi-detached houses set into the site overlooking the valley and three detached houses. Six affordable two-bedroom flats will also be provided in a separate block at the southern end of the site. Three will be rented and three sold on the open market.

The site will also provide 42 car parking spaces. A property called Pinewood Flats that contains five apartments which are in separate long leasehold ownership, will be retained. The application states that the hotel and outbuildings have not been occupied for several years and have fallen into a state of disrepair.

St Minver Lowlands Parish Council has already objected to the plans on grounds that it is an overdevelopment of the site and thinks it a strange coupling with existing properties in the area – and argues the gable ends are out of keeping. Members also felt access was poor and the development would dwarf the adjacent property Ivy Cottage.

Councillors suggested that a site meeting be held as they felt it 'was essential that an indication is given of what the development will look like from Polzeath Street'.

More than 25 letters of objection have also been submitted to NCDC from nearby residents concerned about the traffic congestion, pressure on the local infrastructure and the lack of affordable housing on the site.

Following the site meeting the application will again be discussed at the March meeting of NCDC's planning and development committee where a discussion is expected to be made.

● A site meeting has also been arranged for another large development, which could see the demolition of the Atlantic House Hotel in New Polzeath.

The application submitted, by C and B Scholfield, seeks approval to build a new hotel comprising of 24 serviced hotel rooms and eight three-bedroomed holiday apartments with a restaurant and bar.

This application has received more than 145 letters of support and 88 letters of objection.

Those supporting the application have said the facilities will be a much-needed investment and will benefit the local economy as well as providing all-year employment.

Those objecting said they thought the scale of the development was too great and would appear overbearing in the street scene and from the beach.

They were also concerned by the potential loss of value to neighbouring and nearby properties, and noise levels when guests would leave the bar and restaurant late at night.

St Minver Highland parish councillors have also objected, claming the design appeared to be overbearing and that they would not like to see the "loss of the facade".

A decision on the application is also expected next month.