Planners Advocate for Renewal of £5m Gateway Hotel Proposal Near Bushmills

Planners have recommended the reapproval of a 60-room hotel plan near Bushmills.

The £5 million Gateway Hotel concept was initially accepted in 2019. It was planned for a 7.5-acre site on Dunluce Road next to Dunluce school's athletic fields.

Council planning officers have recommended that the application, made by Portnaboe Ltd. and headed by local Seymour Sweeney, be approved. The final decision won't be made until elected members vote this week. 

According to the committee report, the developer intends to submit designs similar to those presented in 2019.

The planners' assessment finds no nearby other sites, despite the site's location outside the Bushmills settlement limits and within the Causeway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

It concludes that the hotel's aesthetic impact won't detract from the rural character, partly because of thorough landscaping, and it expects the creation of about 50 employees.

The paper highlights possible employment prospects during and after construction and highlights the economic benefits.

Consultations confirm the site's advantageous North Coast position, forecasting strong interest from many other possible hotel operators once full planning permission is gained, even though the applicant intends to run the hotel.