Appeal success for a new Premier Inn hotel in Bath

Press release: 10 January 2012

Planning and urban design consultancy Turley Associates, acting on behalf of property developer MDN Properties, has succeeded with a significant planning appeal that will see a new 108 bed Premier Inn hotel built in Bath.

The appeal decision, delivered on 28 December, will also see Bath and North East Somerset Council pay the appellants' costs, with the planning inspector describing opposition to the development as "unreasonable".

Planning permission was first submitted for the budget hotel on 28 January 2011. The council's planning officers recommended approval, but councillors refused the application following strong opposition by the Bath Independent Guest Houses Association, arguing that it would not have its own car park, which could contribute to traffic congestion and cause a noise nuisance for residents.

The planning inspector rejected these arguments, saying that two recently approved hotels and many others in the city centre had no parking of their own, and that a traffic order could be used to prevent hotel guests using existing spaces in the immediate vicinity.

The inspector added that the council failed to back its arguments with "realistic and specific evidence" and therefore should pay all the appellants' costs because of its "unreasonable behaviour resulting in unnecessary expense".

Tom Rocke, Director, in Turley Associates' Bristol office said: "We are delighted with this decision. Reports have suggested that Bath needs an additional 750 rooms to cope with current visitor demand and this new Premier Inn will go some way to providing much needed value for money hotel accommodation.

"The Bath Independent Guest Houses Association has been running a campaign to restrict development of budget hotels in the city. Their criticisms can be considered anti-competitive, which is not a material consideration in the planning process."

Construction of the new £10m Premier Inn is expected to begin within the next six months and will create 50 new jobs.

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About Turley Associates
Turley Associates is the UK's leading independent planning and urban design consultancy. The company operates from 10 offices - London, Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast - and has market leading expertise in planning, urban design, masterplanning, sustainability and heritage. The company has a strong reputation in the residential, retail, infrastructure, energy, health, education, sports and leisure, waste, minerals and mining and financial sectors.

Visit www.turleyassociates.co.uk for more information.

Contact
Matt Baldwin, Coast Communications
Tel: 01233 503200 / 07930 439739
Email: [email protected]