News: Premier Inn plans recommended for approval
A planning application for an extension to the existing Premier Inn hotel in Rotherham is being recommended for approval despite a number of objections.
Part of Whitbread plc, Premier Inn is the UK's biggest hotel brand. With 700 hotels in the UK and 59,000 rooms, the company's ambition is to have 85,000 rooms by 2020.
The site at Brecks includes the existing Premier Inn Hotel and Beefeater restaurant with landscaping and car parking spaces. The hotel provides 67 bedrooms and the restaurant provides 144 seats for customers. Operators say that the hotel is one of the group's best performing facilities in the region, as measured by occupancy and turn-away data.
The hotel dates back to 1991 and in 2006 the Council approved planning permission for the development of a three storey extension to the original premises.
Now new plans are set to go before the council's planning board this week. Drawn up by Walshingham Planning they propose the construction of a new three storey extension to the existing main block on an area comprising car parking in the eastern part of the site.
The materials and style of the extension proposed will replicate the existing hotel and boost the total number of rooms to 88. At the same time the number of parking bays will be reduced by 16 spaces in the eastern car park (from 45 to 29 spaces), with a total of 99 spaces remaining on the planning site.
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23 representations have been received, with nearby residents and users of the Sainsbury's Local store, snooker club and dance studio adjacent to the planning site raising objections on the grounds of loss of car parking, traffic and over-development.
Applicants state that, whilst patrons of the Premier Inn have use of the 19 spaces adjacent to Sainsburys, it is assumed that staff/patrons of the Sainsburys premises do not have a right to park in the Premier Inn car parks. That being the case, the pub restaurant and hotel would have a total of 80 No. spaces for their staff/patrons.
Demand surveys submitted with the plans reveals the maximum parking demand to be around 75 - 98 spaces. Planning officers at the Council admit that the proposed additional bedrooms will potentially increase parking demand and could result in on street parking in the area during peak periods. However, they go on to say that "mitigation in the form of a staff Travel Plan could reduce parking demand and a car parking management strategy could assist in making the most efficient use of the available spaces."
A report to the planning board concludes: "The hotel is a long established building and the principle of an extension is considered to be acceptable. In design terms the proposal reflects the architectural features and appearance of the existing building and it will not cause any loss of privacy or have an overly dominant effect on the living conditions of the occupiers of nearby residential properties.
"In terms of parking provision, whilst there is an overall reduction in the number onsite parking spaces, the applicant has provided additional details to indicate that the site currently has sufficient capacity even at peak times. The Transportation Unit have raised no objections on highway safety grounds.
"Overall the proposal is considered acceptable and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions."
Conditions include submitting a car parking management strategy and travel plans for staff.
Premier Inn website
Images: Premier Inn
Part of Whitbread plc, Premier Inn is the UK's biggest hotel brand. With 700 hotels in the UK and 59,000 rooms, the company's ambition is to have 85,000 rooms by 2020.
The site at Brecks includes the existing Premier Inn Hotel and Beefeater restaurant with landscaping and car parking spaces. The hotel provides 67 bedrooms and the restaurant provides 144 seats for customers. Operators say that the hotel is one of the group's best performing facilities in the region, as measured by occupancy and turn-away data.
The hotel dates back to 1991 and in 2006 the Council approved planning permission for the development of a three storey extension to the original premises.
Now new plans are set to go before the council's planning board this week. Drawn up by Walshingham Planning they propose the construction of a new three storey extension to the existing main block on an area comprising car parking in the eastern part of the site.
The materials and style of the extension proposed will replicate the existing hotel and boost the total number of rooms to 88. At the same time the number of parking bays will be reduced by 16 spaces in the eastern car park (from 45 to 29 spaces), with a total of 99 spaces remaining on the planning site.
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23 representations have been received, with nearby residents and users of the Sainsbury's Local store, snooker club and dance studio adjacent to the planning site raising objections on the grounds of loss of car parking, traffic and over-development.
Applicants state that, whilst patrons of the Premier Inn have use of the 19 spaces adjacent to Sainsburys, it is assumed that staff/patrons of the Sainsburys premises do not have a right to park in the Premier Inn car parks. That being the case, the pub restaurant and hotel would have a total of 80 No. spaces for their staff/patrons.
Demand surveys submitted with the plans reveals the maximum parking demand to be around 75 - 98 spaces. Planning officers at the Council admit that the proposed additional bedrooms will potentially increase parking demand and could result in on street parking in the area during peak periods. However, they go on to say that "mitigation in the form of a staff Travel Plan could reduce parking demand and a car parking management strategy could assist in making the most efficient use of the available spaces."
A report to the planning board concludes: "The hotel is a long established building and the principle of an extension is considered to be acceptable. In design terms the proposal reflects the architectural features and appearance of the existing building and it will not cause any loss of privacy or have an overly dominant effect on the living conditions of the occupiers of nearby residential properties.
"In terms of parking provision, whilst there is an overall reduction in the number onsite parking spaces, the applicant has provided additional details to indicate that the site currently has sufficient capacity even at peak times. The Transportation Unit have raised no objections on highway safety grounds.
"Overall the proposal is considered acceptable and is recommended for approval, subject to conditions."
Conditions include submitting a car parking management strategy and travel plans for staff.
Premier Inn website
Images: Premier Inn
2 comments:
Yet again, what a great, inspired, forward-thinking decision by RMBC planners: Increase the number of visitors to a site whilst reducing parking amenities. Genius.
Is the Council's planning department hellbent on ruining every area of the borough? Because I for one, can't think of any logical reason as to why this would ever be given the green light otherwise!
The planning board voted 6 to 5 to approve the plans.
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