Owners of Quy Mill Hotel in Stow Cum Quy want to double its size to make it ‘financially viable’

The owners of the Quy Mill Hotel are hoping to double its size, as they say the business is not currently ‘financially viable’.

Plans have been put forward to increase the number of bedrooms at the Stow Cum Quy hotel from 51 rooms to 110.

The proposals, which have been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council, also look to “improve” the hotel’s layout and “enhance” the other facilities at the four-star hotel, which sits in the green belt.

In planning documents it said the changes would help the hotel to remain open, and would support the tourism and leisure economy in the area, and create new jobs.

The owners say the hotel has been “severely compromised” by the size and layout of the buildings.

They said: “The number of rooms at 51 is not sufficient to run a financially viable hotel business.

“Moreover the ad-hoc nature of the accommodation layout creates challenges in the day to day operation and management.

“The hotel has a high ratio between staff and guests (number of bedrooms) in comparison to other competitor hotels.

“The hotel is simply not generating sufficient funds to support the business.

“The management team required to run a 51-bed hotel is the same as for larger operations of circa 150 bedrooms.

“For example the same number of sales, wedding and conference staff are required regardless of the size and profitability of available space at the hotel.”

The owners said when compared to its “comparable competitors” on the edge of Cambridge, it was the only one running with less than 100 bedrooms.

The proposed changes also aim to improve the “landscaped setting” of the listed building, and open up views to the hotel grounds.

The changes would involve extending existing buildings on previously developed land, and therefore not “compromise” the green belt, the applicants said.

They added that the plans also included making the buildings more energy efficient, and improving water efficiency.

A 31 per cent biodiversity net gain is proposed and EV charging would be installed in half of all of the parking spaces.

The original watermill and wall at Quy Mill are grade II-listed and the adjoining Mill House curtilage is also listed.

The application was submitted by Turley on behalf of Quy Mill Investments Ltd.