Plans to demolish the Belvedere Building in favour of a new office building were rejected by the Development Applications Board over the proposed building’s height.

According to a planning application, the proposed Luscar Place would stand seven stories high with two retail units on the ground floor and office space above.

The application stated: “It is no longer viable to maintain the existing Belvedere Building and even with significant upgrades, it will not provide appropriate contemporary office space.”

A report by a technical officer said the proposal showed a “high quality of design” and was in keeping with the trend of mixed-use buildings in the area.

However, the report writer said the plans were in breach of policies regulating setbacks from the road and building heights.

The report noted that planning policies limited the height of buildings in the area to four storeys, but the DAB had discretion to approve an additional two storeys if they are to be used for tourism or residential use.

“The proposal exceeds the maximum height by one storey with the additional storeys proposed for commercial office use,” the report stated. “This policy is therefore not satisfied.”

The report writer said that notwithstanding the net beneficial impacts, the Board did not have discretion to approve the plans because of its height and reduced setbacks.

The plans were subsequently rejected by the DAB.

West Hamilton Holdings Ltd, the BSX-listed property holding company, agreed the sale of the Belvedere Building and the Belvedere Place parking lot to Princess West Ltd last year.

The deal for the properties at 69 and 71 Pitts Bay Road completed in November.

According to a legal advertisement placed in The Royal Gazette in January 2019, Princess West Ltd was formed by Mitchell Green Private Trust Company as trustee of the Mitchell Green Family Trust.

The Mitchell Green Private Trust Company agent is Berco Ltd, which is the operating company of the Green family, who own the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club.

A document submitted as part of the planning application said that the developers had hoped to demolish the Belvedere Building this year so that construction on the new building could begin in early 2025.