Westin returning to planning board over 10-storey tower

The Central Planning Authority is scheduled to hear an application this week from the owner of the Westin resort on Seven Mile Beach to add a 10-storey tower to the existing hotel.

In 2020, the CPA refused a similar application by the resort’s owner, Invincible Investment Corporation.

This latest application includes the 10-storey annex, new conference facilities, and two swimming pools, among other facilities.

If the application is successful, it would mean the hotel would have 559 rooms, compared to the current 343.

In its submission in response to the application, the DoE said it had previously reviewed and provided comments for two similar proposals from the applicant in 2020. Then, and again now in relation to the latest application, the DoE determined that an environmental impact assessment on the project is not necessary.

However, because the hotel site is adjacent to a marine protected area, the Department of Environment, under delegated powers from the National Conservation Council, did direct that steps be taken to ensure the marine environment is protected.

It directed that all construction materials be stockpiled a minimum of 75 feet from the mean high-water mark to prevent run-off and debris from entering the sea.

It also recommended that, because the hotel is located on a turtle nesting beach, measures be taken to ensure that heavy machinery does not destroy nests; that a turtle-friendly lighting plan be adopted; that the DoE can check for turtle nests prior to the start of construction; that beachside construction fencing be erected at least 75 feet from the coastal property boundary and as far landward as possible to minimise impacts on the turtle nesting habitat; and that no construction work or vehicle access can take place on the beach during turtle nesting season without the DoE’s consent.

The DoE also raised concerns about the excavation of sand at the site, to facilitate the foundation and the pools, stating that the sand reserves in front of the resort “are important to the resilience of the beach system and are a natural source of sand which replenishes the beach profile after major storms”.

It recommended that any sand excavated during construction must remain on-site and beach-quality sand must be placed along the beach.

Invincible Investment agreed to abide by the DoE’s directive and recommendations.

While there were objections filed in relation to the earlier applications to expand the hotel, there are no objectors listed in the CPA agenda for Wednesday’s meeting. The agenda notes that strata owners at the adjacent Villas of the Galleon had earlier submitted a notice of objection to the Planning Department regarding the new application but had subsequently withdrawn it.

The National Roads Authority also submitted concerns about the “moderate to significant” impact the expanded resort will have on road capacity for both West Bay Road and the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, and suggested the applicant carry out “a simple Traffic Impact Assessment to clearly ascertain how these proposed upgrades will affect the surrounding road system”.

The National Roads Authority, in its submission, said the applicant had proposed working with the NRA to upgrade West Bay Road using the accepted Complete Street concept.

“This is a good basis in which to handle the increase in traffic that will occur with this proposed project,” the NRA stated.