Plans lodged for boutique style hotel
Thursday, 6 November 2008
A planning application for a 22 bedroom boutique style hotel at109-113 Main Street Bushmills has been lodged.
If it is given the go-ahead, the hotel will include 22 bedrooms, and would benefit from direct views onto the River Bush.
The news of the hotel application comes at a time when the village is looking to the future, with work recently started on the first building to be regenerated under the Bushmills Townscape Heritage Initiative.
This site, also located on Main Street, will be transformed under the scheme, which was set up to deliver a regeneration scheme and grant assistance to bring derelict and under-used properties back into use for new commercial and residential uses, after securing funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund's Townscape Heritage Initiative.
RBT properties, based in Cookstown, are behind the application for the proposed hotel, while Ross Planning, also based in the Tyrone town, are acting as agents.
A spokesperson from the Department of the Environment said that the application was received on Monday, October 20. It proposes to retain the existing building onto Main Street, with a new archway, and a new four storey building to front onto the River Bush to property at 109 - 113 and lands to the rear of 115 - 119 Main Street, Bushmills.
Les Ross, of Ross Planning told The Chronicle that the development would have a positive impact on the village's tourism appeal.
He said: "At the minute, it is an outline planning application. We have no detailed plans at present, but the development would be for a 22-bedroom boutique hotel with a restaurant.
“RBT Properties is working with a prospective developer of the site. This would be an operator with hotels elsewhere, where you have one big operator with different branches. A small number of chains deal with boutique hotels and it is an emerging market.
Tourism potential
“The main idea of the development is to allow views out onto the River Bush. The site would adjoin the unfinished riverside apartments, and the developer hopes these would be pulled down.
“Bushmills has the potential for tourism development. We want to make the most of it and keep people overnight in the village rather than having them just come for the day. We would hope this would create more tourism for the town."
The large number of vacant and derelict buildings in Bushmills has been a growing problem in recent years, and the HLF's Townscape Heritage Initiative grant scheme aims to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of conservation areas affected by high levels of deprivation and in need of regeneration.
Twenty buildings in Bushmills, most of which are listed and occupy prominent locations in the village, are eligible for grant assistance under the THI scheme.
The scheme can also include funding from other sources including Planning Service's Townscape Heritage Initiative Grants, NI Housing Executive and NI Environment Agency.
Moyle District Council is the lead organisation within the THI Partnership and provides administrative and financial management support to the scheme.
Bushmills THI are hopeful that at least two more buildings will be regenerated under the scheme during the course of the incoming year.
Recently, Bushmills THI held an information seminar for property owners in the village about grant assistance and other opportunities available to develop property in the village.
There are almost 90 listed buildings in Bushmills, the highest number for any town or village in the North-East. The problems faced by Bushmills historic buildings reflect issues that are repeated across the Province's Conservation Areas.
