An $85 million plan to redevelop the Ariel Sands Resort has been approved by the Department of Planning.

The project, announced last year, will include a new 22-key hotel, 26 detached villas and a new beach club on the Devonshire property.

According to the plans, the main hotel building will be five-storeys in height, containing the arrival hall and children’s game area on the ground floor, with the first floor housing the main hotel restaurant and bar, along with spa and salon facilities. The upper floors would contain 14 one-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units.

A technical officer for the department recommended that the application be approved, stating that it was mostly compliant with planning policies and an environmental impact study demonstrated that the project would have a generally low impact on the surrounding area in the long term.

Planning documents stated: “The proposal will be a significant benefit to the Island’s construction and tourism industry, generating opportunities for employment as well as additional opportunities for visitors to the Island.

The minutes of the June 10 meeting of the Development Applications Board (DAB) stated: “The technical officer highlighted the matters which required the board’s discretion, which included a portion of the parking area associated with the arrivals building encroaching into the 15ft setback to the Woodland Reserve and the beach club terrace encroachment to the eastern lot line.

“The board questioned how the villa units would be separated between guests as there was only one kitchen per unit. The technical officer informed the board that the room without the kitchen would still be a standard hotel room.”

The board subsequently resolved to support the technical officer’s recommendation and approve the application.