Planning permission granted for Cliffemount, a 20-bedroom hotel in Runswick Bay
Cliffemount Hotel has been granted planning permission today by North Yorkshire Council’s Planning Authority. The vision is to build a hotel and make it the UK’s first-ever Passivhaus hotel, with sustainability at the forefront of its design.
The concept for Cliffemount came from Karen Fojt and her two daughters, Melissa and Siobhan, and son Howard, with the idea of creating a unique hotel and investing back into the local area. Having created so many wonderful memories there themselves over the years, they want to be able to create that for other individuals and families. Alongside the 20 bedrooms, Cliffemount will have a restaurant, pub, and bar – three separate establishments to encourage both guests and the local community to socialise and unwind.
The Fojt family, who acquired the hotel in 2022, hope to create a space where people can enjoy a luxury experience and create lasting memories. Cliffemount will give guests, and the local community, their “moment of calm” with delicious local food, breath-taking cliff top views, and design-led rooms.
The hotel aims to have a limited impact on the environment by leading the way in the hospitality industry as 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. Innovation is at the heart of Cliffemount, with the objective of generating a unique experience that will be both luxurious and eco-conscious.
Karen shares, “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.”
The family aren’t the only people excited to finally kick start their project. Janet Deacon, Head of Tourism and Culture for the Yorkshire Coast, has expressed her support “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.”
The purpose of the project is to create a place that is a destination in its own right, whilst also being an eco-friendly, independent hotel that will bring employment to the area. The hotel aims to open in summer 2025.