Teignmouth looks set to be getting a Premier Inn, following the signing of a legal agreement between Teignbridge District Council and Whitbread plc to build a new hotel on part of a derelict redevelopment site at Brunswick Street.
The proposal had previously been approved by Full Council at Teignbridge and has now been signed off by the Board of Whitbread plc, parent company of Premier Inn.
Teignbridge District Council (TDC) is now on course to deliver a major improvement that received extensive public support when it consulted on a Local Development Order (LDO) designed to set out the type and mix of development on this site. The LDO was adopted in April 2016.
The 66-bed hotel will feature a Beefeater restaurant, providing Teignmouth with year-round facilities for visitors to the coastal resort which currently has no hotel accommodation. It will also provide around 50 new jobs, giving a real boost to the town’s employment offering.
The project will go forward on a self-develop basis, meaning that the Council will construct the hotel to a specification agreed by the hotel operator. The building will then be leased to Whitbread for a minimum of 25 years.
Visitor rooms will be on two upper floors, with the restaurant on the ground floor. There will also be around 20 parking spaces.
TDC will now make arrangements to complete the clearance of unwanted buildings and will draw up a planning application for the site. Once permission has been secured, building could begin as early as next year, with the hope that the hotel could open as early as 2021.
The hotel development is part of a wider regeneration plan for this area of Teignmouth, which also includes:
Sale of part of the site to the NHS for a new health and wellbeing centre
Enabling the Teignmouth Arts and Community Group (TAAG) to remain at Northumberland Place and refurbish the building
Increasing town centre parking spaces through:
Demolition of the Eastcliff Centre and relocating public toilet facilities
Moving the River Teign Rowing Club from Lower Point Car Park to Gales Hill
New Teignmouth Town Council toilets in the Eastcliff car park
New community facility at Bitton Park in a joint project with Teignmouth Town Council, including a relocation opportunity for the Music Project.
Councillor Gordon Hook, TDC Leader, said: “This is a very exciting milestone in the economic growth of Teignmouth – and proof that Teignbridge District Council quite literally means business. The hotel plan is a tangible symbol of our determination to uplift the area through a number of other less high-profile but nonetheless effective moves.
“Premier Inn and its parent company Whitbread plc are at the forefront of bringing affordable overnight and holiday accommodation to a growing number of communities across the country and we are delighted to be entering into a partnership with them on this exciting project.
“Redeveloping this plot of land will do so much more than refreshing this tired site. It is a major project that will be the focus of our regeneration of the town centre, bringing this area back to life and giving a vital boost to Teignmouth’s tourist industry and its economy.
“We’re looking forward to working with Premier Inn on the specification and design of this exciting new build and to collaborating with many other partner organisations on the wider regeneration of this important area”.
Paul Smith, Acquisition Manager for the South West at Premier Inn, said: “We’ve been working closely with Teignbridge District Council to get this deal over the line and are really excited about the prospect of bringing a brand new Premier Inn hotel and Beefeater restaurant to Teignmouth.
“If approved, the hotel would operate year-round, helping to support the local economy by encouraging visitors to Teignmouth across all four seasons. Local businesses will benefit from our presence as many of our guests visit local attractions and eat and drink out when they stay with us, and we’re confident a new Premier Inn would be a great addition to the town”.
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