'Inadequate' parking spaces in hotel conversion plan
Town councillors are “strongly in favour” of preserving a historic former hotel by converting it into flats, but say the number of proposed parking spaces is “totally inadequate”.
The grade II listed Royal Victoria Hotel, in Newport, closed to guests in 2015.
Town Centre Properties UK Ltd has applied to convert and extend it to provide 17 apartments.
A statement submitted on behalf of the locally-based company says the project would include seven parking spaces – a number “considered to be suitable in view of the town centre location and the availability of on-street parking and other sustainable modes of transport”.
Telford and Wrekin Council will decide on the application at a later date, but, when consulted, Newport Town Council supported bringing the St Marys Street venue back into use but requested clarification about the parking arrangement.
Planning agent Stuart Thomas, of Shrewsbury-based consultants Berrys, writes that, “due to a deterioration in both turnover and profitability, the property has not operated as a hotel since 2014, aside from a short period in the summer of 2015”.
