Hotel's rooftop canopy plan rejected again

Varsity Hotel and Spa said the proposed roof canopy (illustration above) could create more jobs

A city hotel has been refused permission for a fourth time to build a canopy over its rooftop bar and terrace.

The Varsity Hotel and Spa's plan divided Cambridge city councillors, with the chairman having to cast the deciding vote.

The hotel said a retractable roof would weatherproof its bar, create more jobs and offer an accessible place for people with disabilities to see Cambridge’s skyline.

But Magdalene College, among those to oppose the plan, said the hotel was “effectively proposing to create an eighth storey”, adversely impacting the conservation area.

Will Nichols, representing the hotel, told councillors a retractable roof canopy would allow the Thompsons Lane venue to use the terrace more and offer 24 new full-time and 18 new part-time jobs.

Mr Nichols said: “The applicant is an established independent business in the city, which has been working with officers over the past couple of years to try to provide a solution to the economic impacts on the business of inclement weather."

But a member of the public, who opposed plans, said the development would make the hotel’s roof an “even more dominant and incongruous feature”.

Liberal Democrat councillor Katie Porrer told planning committee members on Wednesday they needed to give "significant weight" to the planning inspector’s decision to reject a previous version of the canopy.

She said the inspector had been “clear the economic benefits at the time did not outweigh the harm”.

But Labour councillor Robert Dryden said it was "unfair" the local authority seemed to be scrutinising the plans more than it had some of its own developments in his 28-year history on the council.