Plans to Convert Listed Tenby Hotel to Flats Given Go-Ahead by National Park Planners

Plans to convert a listed hotel in Tenby’s conservation area to flats have been given the go-ahead by national park planners.
Applicants Rob and Jan Evans sought the conversion of the Myrtle House Hotel bed and breakfast in St Marys Street to five self-contained flats, while retaining the existing owners’ accommodation.
The application to convert the three-storey Grade II listed building was supported by Tenby Town Council.
Agent David J P Morgan Architect, in a submitted statement, said the changes to the 19th century former house, believed to have been built by built by Wm Davies of Tenby in the 1870s, would involve no external changes.
The statement added: “The design concept recognises the integrity of the existing building and aims to create the desired residential units without any major disturbance of the original structure and layout,” adding: “The important interior features such as staircase, ceiling coving, ceiling roses and fire surrounds which exist will be protected and will remain as part of the new spaces where possible or otherwise will be integrated within new ceiling structures so that they remain intact and undamaged.”
A report for planners stated that local development plan policy “protects against the loss of hotels and guest houses unless it is proven that their continued use would not be viable or that peak demand can continue to be met in the locality”.
It added: “The application property offers a small number of rooms, and the loss of these rooms will not impact on the ability of Tenby to cater for current levels of demand. The application site is also situated within a street which is largely residential, with many of the properties used for holiday letting purposes. The principle of converting the existing bed and breakfast to flats is therefore considered acceptable in this instance.”
The report also said there was a 50 per cent requirement for affordable housing on developments of two units or more in Tenby, which would equate to two units, or an affordable housing contribution.
The application was conditionally approved by park planners. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​