Business units planned for former Essendine Hotel in Rutland
Plans have been submitted for light industrial units on the site of the former Essendine Hotel.
Ben Gunner of the Bourne-based Alexander Property Group has submitted a planning application to South Kesteven District Council for the 0.24ha site on Bourne Road, Essendine.
His earlier plans were revealed to the Mercury in April.
The businessman, who is also a director of electrical engineering Switchserve, hopes to relocate the company from their existing site in Spalding Road, Bourne, to allow for further expansion and also provide four business units for rental.
Of the 811m2 of proposed units, 272m2 will be for offices, 264m2 for light industrial use and 275m2 for storage and distribution.
The site of the former hotel, which was demolished over the summer, had been empty for 15 years. While some Essendine residents lamented the loss of the historic hotel, others had branded it an ‘eyesore.’
The application said structural surveys had shown the former hotel was in a poor state of repair and could not be saved economically. A new building would improve the street scene.
Ben says he has tried to find a scheme suitable for the site that allows Switchserve to keep on growing.
“There’s a lot of room for us to grow. We are really very happy with our plans.”
Since the plans were announced over the summer, six months has been spent ‘ticking boxes’ with planning authorities and working on designs.
“It would be nice to finalise drawings next year and put the units up next year.”
The old hotel, he continued, had no foundations, had wet and dry rot and the demolition company was surprised at its poor state. Most of its bricks were recycled.
Some eight staff would relocate over from Bourne, with Switchserve’s landlord finding new tenants.
Ben added: “We have done it so we have plenty of room”
