Check the latest public notices in your area – planning, roads and licensing <\/p>\n
Plans for a three-storey extension to meet growing demand at a Premier Inn have been refused over pollution fears.<\/p>\n
Bosses wanted to add 13 rooms and a new breakfast area to the hotel at Eureka Leisure Park in Kennington, Ashford.<\/p>\n
Planning officers have refused plans for an extension at the Premier Inn in Eureka Park, Ashford<\/p>\n
The proposals followed owner Whitbread’s decision to close the neighbouring Beefeater restaurant next month as it looks to move food and drink services inside the hotel with a new breakfast bar.<\/p>\n
Documents submitted to Ashford Borough Council (ABC) by Premier Inn said the company had identified \u201ca considerable demand\u201d for additional budget hotel accommodation in this location.<\/p>\n
Planning officers concluded the extension was acceptable but ultimately refused it because the company failed to demonstrate it would not increase nutrient pollution affecting the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve near Canterbury<\/a>.<\/p>\n The protected beauty spot has been affected by wastewater run-off from developments across east Kent, leading to elevated levels of harmful nitrate and phosphate.<\/p>\n As a result, rules set down by Natural England insist developers must ensure all schemes in the River Stour catchment area are \u201cnutrient neutral\u201d – either by having an on-site water treatment facility or offsetting the impact by providing mitigation measures elsewhere, such as wetland.<\/p>\n The officer\u2019s report states: \u201cThe proposed extension is considered acceptable in principle and would not give rise to any unacceptable impacts.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would provide additional visitor accommodation in a sustainable location and would contribute to the local economy.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, the site lies within the Stodmarsh catchment and the proposal would result in additional overnight accommodation and associated wastewater generation.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the absence of adequate information demonstrating nutrient neutrality, we are unable to ascertain the development would not adversely affect the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve.\u201d<\/p>\n The extension would have contained 18 bedrooms, although five existing ground-floor rooms would have been converted into the new breakfast area, resulting in a net increase of 13 rooms.<\/p>\n The new area would have been attached to the northern end of the hotel, extending out to the east via a corridor link at each floor.<\/p>\n The total number of rooms at the hotel would have reached 105, and to facilitate the extra guests, an extension of the car park to 125 spaces was also included.<\/p>\n To see more planning applications and other public notices impacting your area, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The hotel joins a number of other businesses on Eureka Leisure Park, including Travelodge, McDonald’s, KFC, Frankie & Benny’s, Nando’s, Pizza Hut and Cineworld.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, Whitbread announced it would close its remaining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre outlets, replacing them with an \u201cintegrated food and drink model\u201d at its Premier Inn hotels.<\/p>\n The move put about 3,800 jobs at risk across the UK and Ireland, with 11 restaurants in Kent affected<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Eureka Park Beefeater will close after dinner service on September 10.<\/p>\nOwners Whitbread wanted to expand the Premier Inn at Eureka Park to meet growing demand for budget hotel accommodation<\/p>\n
The Beefeater restaurant at Eureka Park, which sits next to the Premier Inn, is to close<\/p>\n