Campaigners take 'big and ugly' Premier Inn battle to deputy PM

RESIDENTS who are livid that a controversial plan to build a Premier Inn in their town was allowed on appeal by a government inspector have taken their fight directly to the office of Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner.

- BY LEE TREWHELA

They have the support of their local MP, who has asked Ms Rayner to reverse the decision.

The saga of Whitbread's plan to demolish the Cornwallis care home on Trewidden Road in St Ives and replace it with a 90-room Premier Inn over looking the town has played out over the past two years.

Hundreds of locals opposed the proposal, calling the hotel a monstrosity and "far too big and ugly".

St Ives Town Council was also against the plan, which was refused by a Cornwall Council planning committee in April 2024 on the grounds of the harm it would do to the area's character and appearance.

However, Whitbread appealed, and planning inspector Sylvia Leonard approved the proposal last month.

She stated that the Premier Inn "would not appear as unduly visually prominent or discordant within the hillside setting of the town and would not harm the setting of the conservation area".