OWNERS of a cliffside hotel in Porthtowan are seeking planning permission to demolish the building to make way for ten residential apartments.

Colin Hardwick and Sian Humphreys, who took over the Beach Hotel on West Cliff 12 years ago, want to sell four of the planned apartments and rent the rest.

They have planning permission for ten holiday lets, but Mr Hardwick said for two years they had tried and failed to secure financial backing.

"We approached our own bank, who told us they wouldn't lend to someone without a proven development history," said Mr Hardwick.

Now they hoped that by applying for residential use and removing the holiday restriction, which restricted stays to 30 consecutive days per visit, they would be able to find the funding they needed.

"It's been a very frustrating two years but we are confident that by applying for residential use the funding will be easier to find," he said.

"We already have three hotel clients who want to buy the apartments, which will pay for the building costs."

He said the building, still being run as a hotel, was "tired" and parts were built with mundic concrete block, posing a risk of structural degradation.

The new plans would enable them to make the most of the stunning location and give the business a strong future.

"The current building has no insulation and is costing more and more in maintenance," he said. "We've already pumped a lot into the rooms but people don't want bed-and-breakfast accommodation; they want modern apartments that give them more freedom."

Cornwall Council affordable housing officer Nick Marsden had asked for one of the apartments to be offered for sale at an affordable price, but this suggestion was dismissed as financially unviable.

The owners have instead agreed to make an off-site contribution of £70,000 to be spent on affordable housing elsewhere in the parish.

In a letter to planners, neighbour Linda Thompson raised concerns that there were not enough parking spaces at the proposed development.

"With a possible average of 15 to 20 cars at any one time, or at worst 30 cars, there is no way 10 parking spaces will be anywhere near sufficient," she wrote.

"The turn up into Westcliff from The Unicorn is a blind corner and in wet weather has seen near misses and collisions from cars travelling too fast downhill and unable to stop in time as a car comes round the turn. Although parking may be available in the village we cannot see residents walking up Westcliff (a very steep walk) with shopping bags, children, buggies etc."

Mr Hardwick said a further two parking spaces had been added to the scheme, creating 12 in total.