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Cliffemount Hotel in Runswick Bay has been granted planning permission by North Yorkshire Council’s Planning Authority.
The vision is to make the site UK’s first-ever Passivhaus hotel, with sustainability at the forefront of its design.
The concept for Cliffemount came from Karen Fojt, who acquired the hotel in 2022, her two daughters, Melissa and Siobhan, and her son Howard, with the idea of creating a unique 20-bedroom hotel and investing back into the local area.
Alongside the 20 bedrooms, Cliffemount will include a restaurant, pub, and bar as three separate establishments.
The hotel aims to have a limited impact on the environment by becoming the “first-of-its-kind” Passivhaus hotel in the United Kingdom.
The family are currently in the process of gaining the accreditation and are “optimistic the hotel will get the green light” and hope to open in summer 2025.
Fojt said: “After a long process, my family and I are incredibly excited to get the go-ahead for planning and get started on the building and development of the hotel.
“Working with the architects, engineers and designers over the last 12 months and seeing our vision start to become a reality has only made us more passionate about what’s yet to come. We can’t wait for the day that we are able to open our doors for the first time.”
Janet Deacon, head of Tourism and Culture for the Yorkshire Coast, added: “I wish to express my wholehearted support for the proposed development of the Cliffemount Hotel, Runswick Bay.
“The proposed scheme would enhance the tourism product in the area in providing much needed quality serviced accommodation, as well as additional amenities for visitors and residents.The development is considerate to the local amenity, and I fully applaud the commitment to sustainability and the ‘Passivhaus’ concept. The renovation plan has been considered with the community at its heart, is sympathetic to its coastal national park location and can only benefit Runswick Bay in a positive way.”
