CONTENTIOUS plans to redevelop a family run pub in Newquay town centre into an aparthotel have been reduced in size following objections.

Applicant Co Situ8 Ltd proposes to demolish the Griffin Inn in Cliff Road and construct a 34-unit aparthotel with cafe and commercial space.

The previous plan involved knocking down the two-storey pub and hotel and replacing it with a 42-unit aparthotel across four to seven storeys plus a penthouse level.

But the developer has gone back to the drawing board following objections from Historic England due to its impact on the Grade II* listed St Michael’s Church.

Newquay Town Council’s committee and residents also objected following concerns the scheme would be a “poor substitute” for the “valued community hub.” They also raised concerns the aparthotel would be an overdevelopment that would “stick out like a sore thumb” and “seriously damage” the views of the roofscape of Newquay.

Historic England believes the new proposals in the pre-planning application have removed the harm that it would be caused St Michael’s Church.

A spokesperson said: “Its significance as the major eye-catcher within the townscape has been conserved.

“The proposed building has now been reduced in height by two storeys from the original submission, and one storey from the last iteration that we provided comments on.

“Illustrative materials submitted identify that the development no longer introduces an eye-catching competitive feature in shared views with the Church of St Michael across the townscape.

“Therefore, the harm that we had previously identified has been significantly reduced or, potentially, removed.”

A spokesperson for LHC Design on behalf of Sit8 said: “Following on from the comments from Historic England, Newquay Town Council and the general public, LHC revisited a number of elements of the proposed design along with the wider team.

“Significant design development was undertaken ahead of submitting a planning application and the scale of the proposals reduced on a number of occasions as a direct result of engagement with and feedback from the pre-application design process and the design review panel.

“Apartment numbers have decreased by over 30% since the initial design proposal at pre – app stage, demonstrating that the scheme looks to an increased density over existing, but in a considered manner that no longer competes with heritage assets and sits comfortably within its townscape context. “Overall mass has been diminished. Blocks one, three and four have been reduced.”

“A full floor was removed from block three to bring it below the Church of St Micheal and the Legacy Hotel Victoria. This has led to the re-reduction of the whole scheme, as suggested, which offers a better balance against the existing townscape of Newquay and its heritage assets.”