A RUNDOWN hotel will be bulldozed and replaced with a new seafront restaurant, hotel and flats.

Plans to transform the derelict Cliff Hotel on Marine Parade, Dovercourt, were given to go-ahead by Tendring Council’s planning committee.

It will see the current 130-year-old building replaced with 20 flats, a 61-bed hotel and a bar/restaurant.

An artist’s impression of the new building shows glass-fronted balconies, a line of port-hole-style windows and an al fresco dining area.

The new hotel bar and restaurant is expected to create 24 new full time jobs and another ten part-time jobs.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

Cath Bicknell, Tendring Council’s head of planning, said the location is ideal for a new hotel.

She said: “The new hotel is a really attractive design which will greatly enhance the area. There will be 57 parking spaces provided, which is one per apartment and 37 for the hotel and restaurant and considerably more than are currently in place.”

The Harwich Society supported the design of the building but raised concerns over parking issues as did 64 residents who sent in letters opposing the application.

Councillors heard there had been three rounds of consultation to give residents the chance to make their views known.

The biggest concern was over parking issues in Brooklyn and Oakland roads.

As a result, conditions are being put in to ensure the Brooklyn Road access to the site is limited to the use of refuse and emergency vehicles.

The 27-bedroom Cliff Hotel closed in January and 36 members of staff were made redundant.

It was due to undergo a complete refurbishment and internal remodelling as part of a major investment.

But a survey looking into the current state of the building said “many years of neglect and lack of maintenance” have made it commercially unfeasible to refurbish the building.

Harwich and Tendring councillor Garry Calver said: “When the Cliff Hotel closed the overwhelming opinion was the site would be used for another block of flats. “The fact there is to be a hotel, bar and restaurant included in the development is good news.

“As a ward councillor I ensured the concerns of neighbouring residents were taken into consideration.

“But the clear advice from officers was there were no justifiable grounds not to approve the application as it stood.”