Approx: 11:45 am – 1:15 pm 

 

Application is for erection of a hotel.

Presenters:

Mark Mann – Savills

Jake Snell – Stock Woolstencroft

Stewart Deering – Reef Estates (current landowners)

 

 

Mark Mann and colleagues presented the application as shown in the accompanying hard copy. They emphasised that PPS4 would not require a needs assessment for this proposal, but that it had been felt prudent to undertake one.

 

Members’ Questions:

 

(Members questions are in light type, presenters’ responses in bold below.)

 

Cllr. Brown: (1) A significant number of traffic movements will be added. Is it not possible to develop the hotel without on-site car parking?

(2) Will there be plant on the roof?

 

M.Mann: Premier Inn do require a certain level of car parking on-site. The level proposed is believed to strike the right balance between the need to discourage trips by car and the need to avoid increasing pressure on on-street car parking locally. A Travel Plan will encourage the use of non-car modes.

 

Jake Snell:  There will be solar panels on the five-storey section, but they will not be visible from the ground. There will be a screened plant enclosure on the four-storey roof at the rear of the site. There will be no plant on the six-storey section.

 

Cllr Walker:           Please elaborate on materials, surface finishes and aesthetics of the exterior.

 

Jake Snell: It is planned to keep this as simple as possible. A soft buff brick is envisaged, with Trespa panels on the uppermost storey and in some of the window reveals. The ground floor will be glazed, and it is hoped to develop a design of local themes on the glazing. The windows will be larger than is typical in a budget hotel, full height, with more interest in the apertures.

 

Cllr Tunnacliffe:           Please elaborate on the idea of support for the Circular Bus.

 

Stewart Deering: The potential applicants are very positive about the idea of supporting the Circular Bus, and a lot of work has been done on this already. The applicants are considering carrying out a study in association with other parties such as nearby retail uses. It is hoped to be able to support the bus route for a period of 18 months to 2 years, even if other stakeholders are not willing to contribute.

 

(Here the applicants also repeated their belief that it was necessary to strike a balance on the number of car parking spaces provided, and that what was proposed was the correct balance. They also emphasised the importance of cycle parking, their intention to establish a partnership with a cycle hire provider, and another with a taxi firm.)

 

Cllr Dixon:           Please comment further on the plan to support the Circular Bus in the light of the County Council’s meeting next week which is recommended to discontinue the service.

 

Stewart Deering: The potential applicants are willing to attend other meetings to elaborate on their commitment to support the service.

 

Cllr Walker: Please elaborate on the plans for the streetscape. How much space is there for the trees shown, and how big will they grow?

 

Stewart Deering: The applicants are anxious to embrace plans to improve the streetscape. Trees on Coldham’s Lane would not be planes, but appropriate trees for the 4-5m space between the building and the footway. It is envisaged that they would grow to 10-12 metres in height.

 

Cllr Tunnacliffe:           Would it not be possible to match trees on the other side of Coldham’s Lane?

 

Stewart Deering: This is possible. Landscaping will be discussed in detail with officers.

 

Cllr Brown:          May we see a three-dimensional perspective from the east? How would the building relate to adjoining sites?

 

(A paper version of the east perspective was shown to Members.) The design of the building will encourage stepping down to a lower level by future neighbours. Windows would be included only on the uppermost storey at the east side, which would allow later buildings to approach the site closely. On the Coldham’s Lane side, the southern end elevation would contain windows, to encourage a break in the frontage at this point to allow pedestrian access to the centre of the wider site.