Fresh plans to turn longstanding hotel into nearly 50 homes

Tuesday 17 January 2023

Plans have been put forward to demolish the longstanding Westhill Country Hotel and build 47 new homes.

The 173-bed Westhill Country Hotel in St. Helier has been run by the Smale family for six decades.

According to J Design Limited's recently-submitted planning application, the proposed development would have 65 parking spaces.

A statement forming part of the planning application highlighted that housing construction has not kept pace with population increases in Jersey.

The statement added "The application site is a sustainable location, within walking and cycling distance of the primary centre of St. Helier. The proposal would make use of an existing building on previously developed land, making the optimal use of land.

"There is an acute housing shortage in Jersey and this proposal would assist with meeting this need. The proposed flats have been designed to exceed minimum standards. The external changes required to the building have been carefully designed."

Pictured: The hotel will be demolished in favour of 47 dwellings, if plans are approved.

A previous planning application in 2019 was made for 51 apartments, after the family put the hotel up for sale, but was ultimately withdrawn.

Speaking in 2019, when the site as originally put up for sale, a spokesperson from the family said: "It is with a heavy heart that we have collectively decided that the hotel cannot remain as such in the long term and we have to explore another use for the property for the future.

"We are only at the beginning of this journey and there is a long way to go. Until then, we will continue to welcome locals and tourists to the hotel with all of the usual friendliness and professionalism that we have built our reputation on over the many happy years."

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Family plan hotel demolition amid tourism woes (2019)