Eden reveals on-site hotel plans
Plans for an £8.5 million, 109-guestroom hotel at the Eden Project have been submitted to Cornwall Council. The hotel has been designed to blend into the countryside and offer high standards of accessibility, energy-efficiency and sustainability. If the plans are approved, the property will be slated for an April 2018 opening.
Eden originally received planning permission for a hotel in June 2015, and following advice from hotel experts, a revised design was submitted in May 2016 with additional facilities. This revised application was withdrawn following public comments about the visual impact and scale of the proposals, before a third design was developed in order to address these concerns.
The footprint of the building is comparable to the previously approved scheme, and although the building is taller at the northern end of the scheme, this is located in a less visible part of the site. The accommodation will be split between two blocks to reduce its visual impact, and the striking, unconventional design features prominent timber poles cladding the outside. Existing features in the area, including old trees and stone walls, would be incorporated into the design of the grounds, while new features, including a meadow and orchard, will be planted around the hotel.
The hotel accommodation is designed to support existing projects and partners and also future developments at Eden, as well as provide accommodation for visitors to events, such as the Eden Sessions series of summer concerts. The hotel would also feature classrooms to support Eden’s educational programmes.
Eden executive director David Harland comments: “We have always aspired to have a hotel at Eden and this is the culmination of years of work towards that aim. We feel that hotel accommodation at Eden would not only give an attractive option to our day visitors, but also increases Eden’s appeal as a venue for weddings, conferences and events. This is part of our plan to enhance the year-round sustainability of Eden’s business. The hotel would be a striking building, built to high environmental standards. We are very pleased with this design and are grateful to our neighbours for their input into the plans, helping us ensure the building has minimal impact on the surrounding environment.”
