Cliffemount Hotel Reaches Topping Out in Runswick Bay

Cliffemount Hotel at Runswick Bay has reached topping out, with the roof structure now installed. The milestone was reported on 20 October 2026 as the building reached its full height.

The project is replacing the former hotel on the clifftop site near Whitby with an independent 20-room hotel, pub and restaurant. The owners describe Cliffemount as aiming to become the UK's first Passivhaus hotel. The project is targeting Passivhaus certification.

A project team working towards a demanding brief

Silverstone Building Consultancy is project managing the development, while Stainforth Construction is the main contractor. Bowman Riley is the architect and HEXA Consulting is providing civil, geotechnical and structural engineering services.

The Passivhaus Trust project report also identifies JPA as M&E consultant and Zero Energy + Passivhaus Services Ltd as Passivhaus certifier.

Why Cliffemount matters beyond housing

Passivhaus is often discussed in relation to homes. Cliffemount is relevant because it applies the certification ambition to hospitality, where guest rooms, public areas, a pub and a restaurant bring different occupancy patterns and operational demands.

Reaching roof level does not establish the final performance of the building, but it is a useful point from which to follow how a non-domestic project carries its design intent through construction, commissioning and certification.

What this means for foundation planning

For any project pursuing a demanding energy target, the general lesson is to coordinate the foundation and building-envelope interfaces early. The structural design, wall build-up, floor levels, thresholds, services and insulation continuity need to be considered together, with responsibilities clear across the design team.

For projects considering an insulated raft, the foundation detail needs to be coordinated with the complete wall and floor build-up. Our guide to thermal bridging at the floor slab junction explains the coordination questions in more detail.