Closed veteran hotel in Somerset could become apartments

The building was put up for sale in September for £1.2m

A vacant seafront hotel used as a Royal British Legion respite centre could become apartments under new plans.

Somerset Legion House in Weston-super-Mare opened in 2007 at a cost of £6.7m and offered breaks for ex-members of the armed forces and their families.

However, in January 2020, the charity announced its closure in order to "refocus its resources" and the centre was put up for sale for £1.2m.

In April, a developer submitted plans for 45 one and two-bed apartments.

In their planning application, Bristol-based PG Group said: "Whilst we acknowledge that the change of use would result in the loss of a short stay boarding and welfare facility, the reconfiguration enables the building to be put back into a more viable use where there is no demand for the now vacant building."

Respite centre closure

The Royal British Legion (RBL) announced in January 2020 it had taken the "difficult decision" to close four of their break centres in the UK: in Weston-super-Mare, Southport, East Yorkshire, and Country Antrim.

The decision placed 150 staff at risk of redundancy, 35 of these in Weston.

The RBL claimed the move would save £6m a year and said it needed to "refocus its resources to address changes in the armed forces community, as the type of support needed is growing increasingly complex with people requiring help across multiple issues".

At the time of the announcement, North Somerset Council member Mark Canniford said he was disappointed the charity had "clearly made the decision without considering all the options", arguing it could charge those who could afford it a minimal fee to stay at Somerset House.

Within months of the RBL's decision, the RAF association said it would be shutting the 18-bed Flowerdown House next-door, due to the pandemic and a drop in income.

The plans are set to be considered by North Somerset Council later in 2021.