Trees To Be Protected If Hotel Is Demolished

The majority of the 92 trees at the derelict St Martin's hotel will be protected if an application to demolish is successful.

A planning application has been filed by St Martin's Hotel (1987) to demolish the old hotel, associated buildings and some protected trees.

The hotel, known locally as Ronnie Ronalde's after its former owner, a whistler and music hall performer, was still going in the mid 2000s but then was boarded up, caught fire and is now in a precarious and ruined state.

Much of the planning application centres on the trees.

There are around 92 on the site, all are protected and many have to stay and will be safeguarded during demolition. Some, with a short life span left, could be felled. Those making up the road borders would be kept to protect privacy and stop noise.

Last year, a draft development framework was produced. It indicated that the site could fit up to 90 sheltered housing units or 50 to 60 homes.

At this stage, the planning application is purely to demolish, with no indication of a rebuild scheme.

Some have commented that the States should buy the site to develop it for healthcare worker accommodation as it's close to the hospital.