Derby city centre hotel plans expansion
The plans have been submitted just weeks after a major roadworks project began
Plans have been submitted to increase the size of a Derby city centre hotel while work starts on a big project to help improve the appearance of the area.
Bosses of the Holiday Inn hotel at Derby’s Riverlights want to build another 28 bedrooms - as well making other internal improvements to the Morledge site.
The proposed development seeks to alter the internal layout of the existing hotel and create a more “conventional hotel format”.
This would see an open front of house/bar/restaurant/lobby on the ground floor as well as outside seating and allow for the existing fourth floor to be converted into an additional 28 bedrooms.
This would see the total number of rooms in the hotel increase to 133.
A new “mezzanine floor” is also being proposed - this would contain two meeting rooms and compensate for the loss of two conference rooms on the fourth floor.
Planning documents said the proposals would help give the hotel a more “attractive” appearance.
One planning statement states: “This proposed layout and outdoor seating will also create an active frontage that faces out onto the Morledge Boulevard.”
The plans have been submitted just weeks after a major roadworks project began in the Morledge area, led by Derby City Council.
The work includes creating improved traffic lights at the junction of the bus station and Morledge to allow more buses to exit at once.
New street lighting will be installed to improve the safety and appearance of the area and there will be improved footways near the bus station and Traffic Street to aid the flow of pedestrians and cyclists.
The planning statement on behalf of Holiday Inn concludes: “Assessment of the significance and the setting of the heritage asset and careful consideration of the impact of the proposed development demonstrate that the proposed development would cause no harm to the significance of the Derby City Centre Conservation Area. Indeed, it should be considered as a positive improvement.
“It is concluded that the proposals have clear and established benefits to the existing business and Derby city centre as a whole will outweigh any potential negative impacts of the development. No harmful adverse impacts have been identified ... and planning permission should therefore be granted.”