Town councillors raise fears over parking problems at new Premier Inn

110 bed town centre hotel will not offer spaces for guests

COUNCILLORS have expressed concerns that a proposed 110-bed Premier Inn in Park Way would clog up the town with visitors fighting for car parking spaces.

The project to build the five-storey hotel between the existing Travelodge on London Road and health club bstFitness first came to light last month.

Rotterdam Properties is seeking to develop the site for Premier Inn, which would remain leaseholder if plans went ahead.

Speaking at a Newbury Town Council meeting held on Monday last week, councillors raised questions over where visitors would park, after it was revealed the 10-space car park at the rear would be reserved solely for staff.

A transport assessment report prepared for Rotterdam states that: “On the basis that the site is located in a town centre with car parks in close proximity to the hotel, no on-site car parking spaces are proposed for guests.

“This is not unusual for a hotel located in a town centre location, such as the adjacent Travelodge hotel, which has very limited guest parking.”

The report proposed that guests park at nearby Parkway which has capacity for around 550 spaces.

Speaking at the Newbury meeting Tony Stretton (Con, Clay Hill) questioned the proposals.

Answering claims that most hotel users would only park overnight, he said: “People won’t be using a parking space at night.

“They are going to come in the morning, trying to find a parking space, and not in that car park.

“I think it would be folly to just rely on that car park and it would be inconsiderate to visitors as well as those who live in the town.”

He added that coming up with an alternative measure for car parking for people using the hotel would “show that you [the agent] are thinking about Newbury and not just about the Premier Inn”.

Miles Evans (Con, Victoria), who lives at Parkway, said of the parking issues: “I drive past that Travelodge to work every day and it’s full, and if you are going to have more cars they are going to park at Parkway.

“That car park is busy at night with people going to the cinema or restaurants.

“We are talking about the potential for 110 people who will need somewhere to park and we are going to find people stopping and unloading in that main road which is already serviced by buses.”

On debating the proposal further, John Gardner (Lib Dem, St Johns) spoke favourably of the plans and said: “This is much better than an empty car park.”

He proposed that the council make no objection in spite of their concerns.

Seconding the motion, Mr Stretton added: “I think this proposal is going to be approved and I think it should be approved.

“There’s a definite need for hotel rooms in Newbury, there’s no doubt of that.

“Premier Inn or any other company wouldn’t invest in Newbury if there wasn’t a need.

“It will bring employment to the town and will bring competition which may even bring prices down.”

The town council ultimately voted no objection to the proposals which will be decided by West Berkshire Council at a later date.