Plans for four-storey 20-room hotel in historic heart of Newmarket are abandoned

Controversial plans for a four-storey hotel in the historic heart of Newmarket have been abandoned.

Turkish businessman Mirhat Kaya’s FYK Trade Ltd wanted to build the 20-room hotel on the site of the former Goldings Garage in Park Lane, which would be demolished, but his application for planning permission, submitted to West Suffolk Council, was withdrawn last week.

The plans had met with strong opposition from both the town council and The Jockey Club in written responses to West Suffolk planners in which they said the appearance and size of the proposed building was inappropriate and not in keeping with the town’s conservation area.

Cllr Rachel Hood, chairman of the council’s development and planning committee, said: “This proposal was an eye-sore and effectively cultural vandalism in Newmarket’s conservation area. The town council is extremely pleased the application has been withdrawn.”

Councillors had said the location of the hotel would be damaging to the view from the Bill Tutte Memorial down Palace Street towards the historic All Saints’ Church, putting it at odds with the town’s Neighbourhood Plan.

The site was next to the house once occupied by Tregonwell Frampton, the so-called Father of the Turf, who trained King Charles II’s racehorses and, as part of King James I’s palace complex, was central to Newmarket’s conservation area.

They also pointed to the lack of any parking provisions and said they questioned whether, in fact, the application was for a hotel or a House of Multiple Occupancy.

The Jockey Club, whose Grade II listed buildings facing on to the High Street would be overlooked from the rear by the proposed four-storey building, had said it would welcome redevelopment of the site but any plan would need to be ‘considerate to the sensitive aspects of the conservation area and the surroundings’.

This is the second planning application withdrawn by Mr Kaya in recent weeks. He was behind plans to turn the former All Square Flooring shop and a neighbouring property in Old Station Road into 11 flats.

That plan was also abandoned, but town councillors remain concerned about what will happen to the building where work was started before planning permission had been granted.

The Journal tried to contact Mr Kaya’s agent but he was unavailable for contact.