West Kirby Sail plans are scaled down

Mar 18 2009 Bromborough and Bebington News

THE developer behind the multi-million pound redevelopment of West Kirby has revealed scaled-down plans.

The project to build a boutique hotel and new sailing school, called The Sail, in West Kirby was unveiled last year but proved controversial.

Developer Carpenter Investments pledged to reduce the size of the project and last week confirmed it was completely redesigned, with the hotel almost halved in size.

The scheme, which goes before Wirral council tomorrow (Thursday) was originally going to cost £10m and included an 80-bed boutique hotel, a Wirral version of Liverpool’s exclusive Hope Street Hotel.

It will now cost £7.5m, with the hotel scaled back to 45 bedrooms.

It will also include a Hilbre Island visitor centre, small shops and possibly a single-screen cinema.

The new sailing school will sit on the site of the existing building and have a cafe looking out to the island.

The scheme’s new architect is Wirral resident Antonio Garcia, who runs his own practice in Liverpool.

Carpenter says the project, which would create 50 new jobs, is vital for the future regeneration of West Kirby and will help stimulate more regeneration in the resort.

Co-founder David Brewitt, owner and operator of the Hope Street Hotel, said: “These proposals are much more moderate in their scale and ambition.

“Design-wise, The Sail remains but the scale is reduced.”

Fellow Carpenter co-founder Alan Beer said: “We’ve gone back and redesigned this to create a building that is perhaps less controversial and that takes on board people’s concerns about the size, scale and massing.”

Carpenter was named the preferred developer on the project in 2007. It unveiled its original proposals last year, hoping to be able to apply for planning permission within months, but after a consultation decided to scale back its plans.

Councillor Gerry Ellis said: “The design of the new hotel looks like a 1960s block of flats. The people of West Kirby don’t want this development at all.”