27 November 2008 14:30
The vision of Monte Carlo-style gambling on the East Coast was brought a step closer today with Yarmouth councillors backing plans for a £35m casino scheme called The Edge, next to the outer harbour site.
Despite concerns raised by English Heritage about impact on the resort's grade one-listed Nelson's Monument, the development control committee voted its approval with no objections.
Please note: The video shows the hotel at its original planned height.
(See link below for video plans)
The scheme - the first contender to enter the ring in the battle for Yarmouth's large casino licence - will now be considered by the Secretary of State who must decided whether to call a public inquiry or allow the borough council to make the final decision.
Albert Jones, boss of the neighbouring Pleasure Beach, who is proposing the scheme, described the decision as “fantastic news”.
“Arriving at this stage has been the fruit of 10 years hard work. We are not through the woods yet but we are beginning to see some light,” he said.
He has linked with leading casino operator Aspers to develop the scheme, which is projected to create about 1,000 jobs.
As well as delivering the only large casino on the East Coast, the proposal would bring a 138-room four-star hotel, eight-screen cinema, 18-lane bowling alley, six restaurants and restaurant terraces, and four storeys of car parking for 832 vehicles.
However, the spectre of Nelson still looms over the development with English Heritage spokesman Trudi Hughes warning the committee that it was possible they might press for the Secretary of State to call in the application because of the impact on the monument, especially from the scheme's “blocky” six-storey hotel.
Ms Hughes, who accompanied the committee on a site visit before the meeting, said Yarmouth was predominantly a town of low-rise buildings with the most jarring elements being such 20th century intrusions as the riverside Havenbridge House.
She said: “Our feeling about the hotel is that it would be a very large blocky building and a similar intrusion on the skyline as Havenbridge House.”
Development consultant Karen Hawes said they had already worked hard to accommodate the views of English Heritage, lowering the hotel by two floors and changing the position of the car park to meet its concern about it obstructing the view of the sea from the monument. She stressed that any further alterations would take away the scheme's viability.
Proposing approval, Mick Castle said Nelson's Monument was not in an ideal spot, surrounded by industrial buildings. Far from affecting it adversely, the project would increase its attraction by bringing more people to see it.
He said: “The town has embraced this project and there have not been any objections apart from extraneous matters such as parking concerns.
“This scheme is about jobs, about regeneration and about improving the offer of a seaside town.”
Seconding it, Michael Jeal said: “I have been the ward councillor for 22 years and live 200 yards from the development site and it is my view the town needs something like this.”
Committee chairman Charles Reynolds said that while he hoped further development schemes would come forward for the large casino the town was lucky, in a time of doom and gloom, to have a developer proposing a multi-million pound scheme.
He said he hoped that English Heritage would note the committee's vote and not raise objections with the secretary of state that might lead to a public inquiry and delay the scheme.
Despite speculation that other developers might be interested in building a casino complex on a council-owned Golden Mile site currently occupied by the Marina Centre, and rumours of interest in river bank sites as well, no other schemes have yet reached the formal planning stage.
Mr Jones will now have to tackle the next hurdle of licensing, which is likely to take at least 18 months.
(Dead link: http://http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=News&itemid=NOED27%20Nov%202008%2013%3A45%3A55%3A573)
The vision of Monte Carlo-style gambling on the East Coast was brought a step closer today with Yarmouth councillors backing plans for a £35m casino scheme called The Edge, next to the outer harbour site.
Despite concerns raised by English Heritage about impact on the resort's grade one-listed Nelson's Monument, the development control committee voted its approval with no objections.
Please note: The video shows the hotel at its original planned height.
(See link below for video plans)
The scheme - the first contender to enter the ring in the battle for Yarmouth's large casino licence - will now be considered by the Secretary of State who must decided whether to call a public inquiry or allow the borough council to make the final decision.
Albert Jones, boss of the neighbouring Pleasure Beach, who is proposing the scheme, described the decision as “fantastic news”.
“Arriving at this stage has been the fruit of 10 years hard work. We are not through the woods yet but we are beginning to see some light,” he said.
He has linked with leading casino operator Aspers to develop the scheme, which is projected to create about 1,000 jobs.
As well as delivering the only large casino on the East Coast, the proposal would bring a 138-room four-star hotel, eight-screen cinema, 18-lane bowling alley, six restaurants and restaurant terraces, and four storeys of car parking for 832 vehicles.
However, the spectre of Nelson still looms over the development with English Heritage spokesman Trudi Hughes warning the committee that it was possible they might press for the Secretary of State to call in the application because of the impact on the monument, especially from the scheme's “blocky” six-storey hotel.
Ms Hughes, who accompanied the committee on a site visit before the meeting, said Yarmouth was predominantly a town of low-rise buildings with the most jarring elements being such 20th century intrusions as the riverside Havenbridge House.
She said: “Our feeling about the hotel is that it would be a very large blocky building and a similar intrusion on the skyline as Havenbridge House.”
Development consultant Karen Hawes said they had already worked hard to accommodate the views of English Heritage, lowering the hotel by two floors and changing the position of the car park to meet its concern about it obstructing the view of the sea from the monument. She stressed that any further alterations would take away the scheme's viability.
Proposing approval, Mick Castle said Nelson's Monument was not in an ideal spot, surrounded by industrial buildings. Far from affecting it adversely, the project would increase its attraction by bringing more people to see it.
He said: “The town has embraced this project and there have not been any objections apart from extraneous matters such as parking concerns.
“This scheme is about jobs, about regeneration and about improving the offer of a seaside town.”
Seconding it, Michael Jeal said: “I have been the ward councillor for 22 years and live 200 yards from the development site and it is my view the town needs something like this.”
Committee chairman Charles Reynolds said that while he hoped further development schemes would come forward for the large casino the town was lucky, in a time of doom and gloom, to have a developer proposing a multi-million pound scheme.
He said he hoped that English Heritage would note the committee's vote and not raise objections with the secretary of state that might lead to a public inquiry and delay the scheme.
Despite speculation that other developers might be interested in building a casino complex on a council-owned Golden Mile site currently occupied by the Marina Centre, and rumours of interest in river bank sites as well, no other schemes have yet reached the formal planning stage.
Mr Jones will now have to tackle the next hurdle of licensing, which is likely to take at least 18 months.
(Dead link: http://http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=News&itemid=NOED27%20Nov%202008%2013%3A45%3A55%3A573)
