New self-catering hotel plans approved for Cookstown

The approved plans also include a reception and breakfast area; laundry and stores; associated car parking; and access between 14 and 18 Fairhill Road, Cookstown, which will involve a reduction of four public on-street parking spaces.

The planning application was lodged by Shane Beckett, High Cross Road, Cookstown, on his own behalf.

By virtue of this being an outline planning application only, no design plans have been submitted for the hotel complex yet.

A hotel, according to the planning report, must ‘provide overnight sleeping accommodation for visitors in separate rooms comprising not less than 15 double bedrooms, of which 100 per cent shall have an en-suite bathroom’.

In that sense, the proposed facility is considered to be a hotel, however the planning report explains that it won’t be a conventional one.

Mid Ulster District Council Planning officers stated in their report: “Although the development is described as a hotel, it is the intention that the building will not have any of the ancillary features of a traditional hotel such as restaurants, bars or function rooms.

“The proposal can be thought of as a blend of hotel and self-catering style accommodation.

“The room layout, design, and access will be familiar to those who are accustomed to a hotel stay, but the larger space and inclusion of comfortable seating and ‘dining’ space, will allow guests to relax or enjoy a takeaway as if they were at home.

“The hotel will not be a traditional hotel operation, as the guest rooms will be small studio suites with, amongst other things, a mini kitchen. The breakfast area at the main reception area will allow guests to have fresh brewed coffee/tea/juice, cereal etc., but with no cooked elements.

“Access to the site is via a narrow vehicular entrance from Fairhill Road. The properties on either side of the entrance are both commercial business properties.

“Beyond the entrance, the majority to the site is comprised of a cleared site which has been excavated along the rear of the properties which front onto Fairhill Road.

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“The proposed development, which is partially within Cookstown Area of Townscape Character, is an outline application and therefore it does not provide full details of the scale, form, massing and design.

“However, additional information has been submitted to indicate the proposed height of the hotel which is limited to nine metres. This is a similar height to No.18 Fairhill Road, which sits in front of the proposed site, and will provide an adequate degree of screening from the public road.

“In that sense, while there may be transient views of the proposed building to be had, either from between the existing buildings fronting onto Fairhill Road or over the top of the lower buildings, any such view would be limited to a glimpse of the ridge line, and therefore it would not be detrimental to the character or appearance of the area.

“Although the proposed building is not an extension and is not considered to be a small ancillary building, it does not threaten the integrity of the area. The building is to be sited on backland, to the rear of a substantial and continuously built-up frontage within this urban area.

“Given the elongated shape of the proposed site, the proposed building will align with the properties fronting onto Fairhill Road.”

The planning application was listed as an item for consideration at Tuesday’s (May 6) Planning committee meeting of Mid Ulster District Council.

The recommendation to approve the application was proposed by Cllr Gavin Bell (Sinn Féin, Cookstown DEA) and seconded by Cllr Dan Kerr (Independent, Torrent DEA).

François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter

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