A proposal for a Travelodge hotel and ‘drive-thru’ Starbucks on a key gateway into Bury St Edmunds should be approved despite concerns, planning officers have said.
The 80-bedroom budget hotel and coffee shop development, put forward by NHP Holdings, would be located off Etna Road, near the Tesco supermarket at Compiegne Way.
On Thursday, July 6, members of St Edmundsbury’s planning committee will have to weigh up the pros and cons of the proposal in order to decide whether it should be granted.
Nearby residents have voiced a number of concerns including over increased noise, the volume of traffic and access to and from the site.
In their report ahead of the meeting, planning officers accepted there would be some “loss of amenity” for some nearby residents due to noise and disturbance even with a condition restricting the hours for opening and deliveries.
They also said the development was considered to be “acceptable” in terms of the impacts on the highways network and highway safety, adding the site had had previous uses involving high vehicle movements and the accident data “gives no rise for concern”.
In summary, the report said areas of “modest conflict” with planning policy would be “outweighed by the very significant benefits associated with the development”.
It said: “The proposed development would bring both short-term and long-term economic benefits from the employment during construction and once operational.
“The hotel would bring economic benefits from providing additional overnight accommodation within walking distance of the town centre, along with associated increased local expenditure from guests.
“The ecological benefits in terms of improvements to the river channel, improved soft landscaping and offsite works to Ram Meadow are required to mitigate the impact of the development on the green corridor but would nevertheless also bring benefits in terms of biodiversity.”
The Bury Society feels the coffee outlet should be removed from the application due to road safety concerns and also believes the design of the hotel should be “contemporary” and site specific.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here