Landscaping plans for Schooner Hotel in Alnmouth refused by planners

A planning application by Maten Rohman of The Schooner Hotel sought permission to landscape the rear courtyard/hotel garden area to create new external seating areas.

In December, an appeal over the refusal of its retrospective planning application for a decking area was dismissed by a planning inspector who ruled it was ‘jarringly out of place’.

It had been refused by Northumberland County Council planners last May.

The new application sought permission to clear all existing rubbish and loose surfaces and level the existing courtyard into three areas using blockwork as small retaining walls and faced with natural walling stone.

It also proposed laying the entrance area to traditional cobbles, with a ramp to assist with disabled access. Other areas would be made up of gravel and heritage paving slabs.

Planners refused the application citing ‘insufficient evidence’ to form a clear understanding of the details of the proposed landscaping works.

A report by the planning officer states: ‘The details of the proposed materials are minimal and the plans are very basic making it difficult to assess the appearance of the proposed development.

‘The building heritage design officer reiterated the advice from the previous refused planning application that the aesthetic value of the courtyard could be significantly enhanced by an appropriate landscaping scheme by reinstating cobble setts with some soft landscaping.

‘The proposed development is not considered to be appropriate as it could detrimentally impact the courtyard and therefore the heritage setting of the Grade II listed Schooner Hotel.’