Hotel bids to triple capacity and build homes

The Windermere Manor Hotel currently has 35 rooms and owners want to build a new 70-bed block

The owners of a hotel near England's largest lake want to triple its capacity, build flats for residential use and additional staff accommodation.

Starboard Hotels has applied to the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) to develop the Windermere Manor Hotel, close to the shores of Windermere in Cumbria.

Planning documents show the project would include a 70-bedroom extension to bring the hotel's total rooms up to 105, a separate apartment block with 18 residential units and another block with three en-suite bedrooms for staff.

Starboard Hotels said the development would mean staff numbers would grow from 19 to about 30, while also "alleviating local housing shortages".

Planning documents said the use of the staff accommodation would be "restricted to staff employed in the relevant sector" in areas including Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere.

"The staff accommodation is essential for attracting and retaining staff," they added.

'Accessible and peaceful'

Documents stated the 70-bedroom extension would "increase visitor capacity, generating additional overnight stays and tourism revenues".

Any new building would be "designed to respect the local architectural character and landscape setting".

Windermere Manor Hotel, on Rayrigg Road, was built in the 1850s as a private Victorian residence for watercolour artist Hubert Coutts, planning papers said.

Through its life it had many uses, including as a training centre and nursing home.

In 1996, Guide Dogs for the Blind turned it into a hotel for visually impaired and blind people, a use it maintained through different ownerships.

It was bought by family-run Starboard Hotels in 2017 and refurbished.

"It remains known for its accessible facilities, pet-friendly atmosphere, and peaceful Lake District setting," the company said.

The application is currently being considered by the LDNPA.