Yahoo News Cambs hotel to be turned into into flats as plans approved
A former 42-bed hotel and ballroom near Wisbech will be converted into 19 new flats. It follows as planning approval was granted by West Norfolk Council earlier this month.
Elme Hall Hotel, on Elm High Road, was built in the 1980s and consisted of two buildings. The main area had a ballroom, bar, restaurant, and eight bedrooms, while the second was a two-storey detached block containing the other 34 guest rooms.
However, the venue shut at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and never re-opened. It was eventually put on the market and sold at a price of £1.9 million.
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The accommodation will consist of 12 one-bedroom flats and seven two-bedroom flats. It follows previous proposals to convert a motel block alongside the hotel into a house of multiple occupations, which was given the green light in 2022.
A planning statement with the application said that the building had shown serious signs of decay and becoming 'an unsightly proposition upon the entry to Wisbech': It added: "The main building of Elme Hall Hotel has not been open to the public as a hotel for a sustained period of time. Before closing, trade had most recently arisen from contractors.
"However with the further two expansions of the Premier Inn 12 miles further along the A47, Elme Hall was unable to compete with the pricings and services offered. It is believed that the decline in profitable business over the three years prior to the pandemic coupled with the huge decline in demand since means the need for so many hotel rooms on site is far less and no longer viable.
"It is the case that tourism accommodation within this local area has diversified somewhat. Whilst there has been many hotel closures and losses in the past 5-10 years, there has also been a rise in lodge or glamping types of accommodation. Full house or ‘outbuilding’ holiday rentals have also become very popular in recent times."
In their report, planning officers said that the applicant had considered the potential impact of the loss of hotel rooms on local tourism. However, they added that the information provided suggested that the need for residential accommodation outweighed any potential impact on tourism and acknowledged that there would be minimal changes to the site's physical appearance.
The application can be viewed in full, using the reference 24/00141/FM or by clicking here.
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