Project Marconi

This link leads to the full Design and Access Statement submitted to BCP Council Planning Department and registered as a Pre-Application on 24^th November. We are publishing this document, in full on our website, because we believe it is an exceptional piece of design by Architect Philip Gumuchdjian, which deserves to be widely viewed and understood by the community and the public’

Key messages to bear in mind before you read the document are:

1. The Marconi Beacon is a pre-application that is intended to show conceptually how a building of outstanding architectural merit, that reflects exemplary architectural and urban design, utilises the highest level of materials and finishes and contributes to the public realm, could be built on the Haven site,
2. It’s important that as a community, we offer a viable ‘alternative’ plan to the BCP Planning Department and for Councillors on the Planning Committee to consider.
3. No change of use or reduction in the number of hotel bed spaces is envisaged, which would be in accordance with the SNF Neighbourhood Plan and the new Draft BCP Local Plan
4. Whoever acquires the site will obviously submit their own planning application for a new hotel that suits them best, but in the knowledge of the aspirations of the local community and hopefully the blessing of the Local Authority;
5. To build a modern 70 bedroom hotel on the site, the architect has the choice of either adding the Beacon with its 11 suites, or adding 11 bedrooms horizontally onto the top of the building and losing the step-down symmetry with adjoining sites;
6. A 70 bed Haven hotel will certainly be economically viable and presents the opportunity to keep the size of the proposed new Sandbanks Hotel at a more realistic 101 beds (down from 171) and to allow that site to become a more sustainable mixed development;
7. The design of the building is such that none of the properties on Sandbanks are overlooked by the 11 bedroom suites in the Beacon;
8. All trees are retained and conserved rather than being jeopardised by the increase in the height of the site required under the FJB plans;
9. See attached BCP Strategic Plan for Canford Cliffs ward.