Bournemouth Nici Hotel plans officially approved by council

It will add a spa, fitness suite, meeting rooms as well as garden and terrace dining to the former Savoy Hotel, now called The Nici, although there will be no immediate increase in the 160-bed capacity.

The hotel reopened in June under its new name after an internal refurbishment.

Councillors at Thursday's BCP Council planning committee ticked off the company for starting work on a new flue extraction system without getting planning consent first.

The BCP planning committee heard of complaints about noise from the new flue from residents in the adjoining blocks of flats at Tower Court and Bay View.

Read more: Spa and fitness suite plans for Bournemouth hotel The Nici

One resident came online to tell councillors that many residents had found their mental health deteriorating because of the late night noise from the equipment with some forced to use sleeping pills for the first time, or ear plugs. It was claimed the flue had, repeatedly, not been switched off when it was agreed it should be.

The committee did grant the retrospective planning permission for the flue with a condition that it be switched off no later than 11pm and that noise reducing measures be introduced to keep the sound from it down to an agreed level.

The structure will eventually be clad completely in material which looks like brick to match the rest of the building.

Committee chairman Cllr David Kelsey said that while the refurbishment of the hotel was welcomed he was against businesses starting work on projects and then asking for planning permission – warning the company that if they were not good neighbours and continued to annoy residents they could be closed “at the flick of a switch.”

The wider refurbishment plans were approved by the committee with only two councillors against – both Cllr Paul Hilliard and Cllr Tony Trent had expressed concerns about a shortfall of 11 parking spaces which they said could cause problems in the area as guests tried to find on-street parking or grapple for a space in a nearby small car park, which also served other hotels and visitors to the beach.

Read more: New five star Nici hotel in Bournemouth opens today

Cllr Trent claimed there had been little consideration for residents in the two adjoining block of apartments with the proposals and said the least which could have been done was to re-orientate the garden restaurant away from nearby homes to reduce the noise levels.

The hotel is proposing an extension to the part of the site to provide extra rooms, using a former coach house for guests rather than its previous use for staff. A spa and fitness suite, a restaurant with a terrace and an additional garden restaurant will also be added.

Almost thirty objections had been received by the council together with three letters of support.

Most of those concerned by the proposals are worried about the additional noise and disturbance and a loss of light to their homes, many of them flats to the west of the site.

Planning officers says despite the objections the large site is suitable for intensification but would need a a parking management plan which will include parking permits for some guests in nearby public car parks.

Eldon James, Nici Hotels managing director, told councillors the company had already committed £20million to the site to bring what he described as “a world class” hotel to Bournemouth, expected to be the town’s first five-star venue. He denied residents claims that Tower Court residents on one side of the building would suffer a loss of light because of the development and said that measures, including agreed closing times, would be put in place to limit disturbance from the upper terrace dining and bar and the new garden restaurant.

“It is a high quality and high profile five-star hotel with significant benefits to the town from the scheme,” he said, promising that it would offer additional amenities for residents as well as visitors.