Planning permission has been granted to replace hazardous external escape ladders at the four-star Twr y Felin Hotel in St Davids, Pembrokeshire. The Retreats Group, represented by agent Acanthus Holden Architects, submitted the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Unique Landmark
The hotel, which has 41 bedrooms and its own windmill, is described in the application as having "a quite unique character mainly due to the most original part of the building, the tower, being an old windmill." The tower is noted as "a local landmark visible from a significant distance."
The former windmill was converted in 1907 into a 'look-out' tower, with a substantial house added below. Extensions approved in 2010 created a 21-bedroom hotel, with further approvals in 2018 expanding it to 41 bedrooms.
Proposed Works
The development involves installing a lightweight, open-tread galvanised steel staircase to replace the hazardous vertical ladder. This will ensure safe maintenance access and rapid fire evacuation, in compliance with building regulations.
The design was chosen to "respect the building's listed status and National Park setting by minimizing visual bulk and avoiding an inappropriate 'mock-historic' design."
Approval Granted
A planning officer's report recommended approval, noting no objections from consultees. The application was subsequently granted conditional approval by Park planners.
