Refurbishment plans submitted for iconic East Sussex hotel after ‘multi-million pound’ deal
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Powdermills Prop Co UK Ltd applied to Rother District Council, via the agent Corbil Planning Ltd, to make ‘internal and external changes and alterations’ to Powdermills Hotel in Powdermill Lane, Battle.
The application also wants to make changes to the adjoining pavilion. These changes include repositioning the hotel’s reception, improving guest facilities, improving accessibility for people with mobility impairment, improving the back-of-house facilities and increasing the bedroom space inside.
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Hide AdPeople can view the application at https://planweb01.rother.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=RR/2024/1596/L (reference RR/2024/1596/L).


The planning statement said: “Powdermills Hotel is a grade II listed building with an established C1 use having been converted from a country house to guest accommodation in 1983. The building has been substantially extended and altered over the years with a lack of coordination and cohesive view as to how the building functions and is attractive to guests.”
The statement said the listed building needs repairs and ‘substantial renovation and improvement’ to the hotel provision to make it suitable for ‘sustained use and the enjoyment of guests in the 21st century’.
It continued: “The applicant acquired Powdermills in 2024 and has set about an investment programme with the objective of sensitively improving and expanding the existing hotel accommodation and services. This application seeks to make modest additions and alterations to the historic fabric of the listed building, as well as to alter those parts of the building which are not of any / low architectural and historic significance.”
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Hide AdThe plan is to make the building more environmentally sustainable too and suggested replacing the boilers with electric heat pumps to reduce carbon emissions.
The planning statement said there would be no net gain in the building’s overall footprint and said there would be ‘only a modest roof canopy in the centre of the back of house area technically “adding” floor space’.
It added that the changes are proposed in ‘a very sensitive manner’ to avoid causing harm to a designated heritage asset. It said: “In the rare instances where moderate or minor harm is caused, this is mitigated by beneficial improvements to the building, and in almost all other cases there is only a negligible impact and beneficial effects.”
In July, estate agents from Savills said the hotel was sold on behalf of a private client. Read the story here. A Savills spokesperson confirmed the PowderMills Hotel was sold in a ‘multi-million pound’ deal. The Grade II Listed, four-star country house hotel and estate comprises around 80 acres in total and is on the edge of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
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