Regeneration plans for iconic North East hotel get the green light

The Inn Collection Group bought the Park Hotel, in Tynemouth, in April and previously submitted plans to pull down part of northern wing and central area of the hotel.

The hospitality firm was given permission to build a two-storey extension to provide 20 hotel bedrooms, a single storey fish and chip takeaway and ice cream parlour, hotel kitchen, internal plant room, toilets and core circulation space, extended and improved external terrace are and car parking.

A design and access statement, lodged with North Tyneside Council, said the proposals would give the historic building a “sustainable long-term future use”.

It said: “The vision of the proposed design is to redevelop the site to provide a sustainable, well designed to current standards, hotel, restaurant and takeaway food outlets which sit well and comfortably within the Conservation Area environment.”

The document warned that the hotel has been in “steady decline” in recent years, but said its new owners want to invest in its future.

These plans, it said, will create “high quality development that will preserve the character and identity of the Park Hotel and ensure a viable future for this important building”.

Councillors sitting on the planning committee voted to approve the proposals on Tuesday.

Cllr Trish Brady said: “I think this is a beautiful art deco building and it has been an eyesore for too long – it’s definitely declined over the years.

“This application seeks to bring it back to some of its glory and I think we should hail that as an authority.”

The sections that the Northumberland-based firm wants to replace were added decades later in the 1960s and 70s.

A report from authority planners recommended approval for the scheme subject to a section 106 agreement.

Section 106 (S106) agreements are are legal agreements between local authorities and developers; these are are linked to planning permissions and can be known as planning obligations.

In this case the Inn Collection Group will be expected to pay £10,000 towards employment and training initiatives in the borough and £6,682 towards the coastal mitigation service.