A green light for Hilton hotel plan (From Swindon Advertiser)
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A green light for Hilton hotel plan
10:40pm Tuesday 13th October 2009 in
A GRADE II-listed building formerly used as Swindon’s central laundry will be transformed into a 118-bedroom hotel.
Last night Swindon Council’s planning committee paved the way for the former Paragon Laundry site in Aylesbury Street to be converted into a Hilton “Hampton” hotel, despite fierce objections from a local councillor.
The listed frontage of the building will remain but the rest of the structure will be demolished to make way for a six-storey hotel, complete with a bar, restaurant and parking facilities.
The existing building was described as “rundown and unsightly” by Peter Lawson of Turley Associates, who represented the developers at the meeting.
He said: “This is a huge step forward in the regeneration of the town centre.”
Mr Lawson said Hilton’s choice to come to Swindon was a “vote of confidence for the town”. He also pointed out that the dimensions of the hotel were very similar to those of a proposed apartment block that was granted planning permission for the same site last year.
But central ward councillor Bob Wright claimed the application was completely wrong for the location, which he said should incorporate residential not commercial development.
“This is corporate America trying to put a hotel here,” he said. “We want better hotels in Swindon and better standards but this is a low level hotel being deliberately put in the area even though it’s not suitable for this location.
“We welcome the hotel but not on this site.”
Coun Wright pointed to a number of faults in the application, including the fact that it would increase traffic and cause problems with car parking.
However committee members decided that the application was suitable and voted through both the application to construct the hotel and one to permit listed building consent.
Coun Russell Holland (Con, St Margaret) said he was reluctantly supporting the proposal.
He said: “In an ideal world we would have something different but it will take a site that is rundown and tidy it up.”
Coun Vera Tomlinson (Con, Abbey Meads) was more fulsome in her support of the project.
“This is the ideal place for a hotel,” she said.
“It is close to the railway station and bus station and it’s in the town centre.
“We are committed to regenerating the town centre and this part of that goal.”
Other councillors raised concerns of the signage and canopy being attached to the listed frontage, but both applications were accepted with no oppositions.
Comments(28)
Casual Observer
says...
12:11am Wed 14 Oct 09
Expect this obvious fact to be rubbished by the onion-eyed old barnacle in the morning.
Captain Sensible
says...
4:12am Wed 14 Oct 09
itsamess
says...
5:52am Wed 14 Oct 09
ration--ok that now opens the door to the one planned next to Jurys-no doubt the mecca plan will be dropped and a hotel built there and a huge one on the old college site--i see it all now--all these folks flocking to swindon for our wonderful shops and fantastic venues of first class entertainment--wait-
--breaking news>>swindon puts in a bid for the 2012 olympics as london has withdrawn--now you know why all these houses and hotels are needed--Olympic village and all the visitors. Dont forget folks--you heard it here first!!
Bobfm
says...
7:58am Wed 14 Oct 09
This is a bad result despite what the usual suspects may say. Isn't it strange, when I put in planning for my motel (1st phase) I had to calculate the existing pubs trading areas and justify I had enough parking spaces to accommodate 5 additional cars (5 rooms).
It seems the same rules don't apply to International Hotel chains.
And yes the majority of the staff will be migrant workers on zero hours contracts, something Labour were going to remove from employment legislation but never quite got around to it.
mini_andy
says...
8:28am Wed 14 Oct 09
Cavalera
says...
8:41am Wed 14 Oct 09
@Casual Observer
Do either of you actually have a life rather than having to turn every single post that you make into an insult towards BobFM?
You very very sad individuals.
BadProspects
says...
9:01am Wed 14 Oct 09
What I'd like to know is why all of these chains think that there are enough visitors to Swindon to justify their business plan? Who's coming here?! Honda may be back in business (though at a reduced level than in previous years) - but what justifies these hundreds of additional rooms???
Bobfm
says...
10:02am Wed 14 Oct 09
mini_andy, yes it's their American style concept Hampton's, looking at their website it would appear they operate in the mid range market place £75/£45 rooms, dependent on the day. The rooms look very similar to Premier Inns.
Home Boy
says...
10:23am Wed 14 Oct 09
Bobfm wrote:The same rules do apply. Perhaps if your motel were located next to a main line train station and bus station and within easy walking distance of 100's of parking spaces you wouldn't have needed the additional spaces?
Insomniacs, unemployed or just back from the pub.
This is a bad result despite what the usual suspects may say. Isn't it strange, when I put in planning for my motel (1st phase) I had to calculate the existing pubs trading areas and justify I had enough parking spaces to accommodate 5 additional cars (5 rooms).
It seems the same rules don't apply to International Hotel chains.
And yes the majority of the staff will be migrant workers on zero hours contracts, something Labour were going to remove from employment legislation but never quite got around to it.
.
And what does the nationality of the staff have to do with anything? I'm sure the jobs will be open for all to apply.
Ardiles
says...
10:40am Wed 14 Oct 09
The town centre is dying from a lack of investment and, while I accept the concerns around the number of hotel rooms in town, the hotel developments seem to be the only developments taking place right now. Something needs to kick start a regeneration so, on balance, I'd say this is good news. At least we're not discussing yet another development on the edge of town sucking the life out of the centre.
Casual Observer
says...
11:07am Wed 14 Oct 09
Bobfm
says...
12:06pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Home Boy my comments were in response to a comment by Captain Sensible but I guess you missed that.
I Too
says...
12:14pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Building too many hotels has not improved the towns retail position. There is no reason to expect another one to change that situation.
Let's see the towns' retail, heritage, and cultural interests maintained, to a level that draws in visitors, to fill, and justify more hotels.
Otherwise, let's stop making the same mistake, of corporate vandalism, over and over again.
Sack SBC
I Too
says...
12:20pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Over development, of the wrong kind, has been destroying Swindon centre, for many years.
The excessive number of hotels, popping up everywhere is a blatant example, that anyone with an ounce of logic would realise.
Bobfm
says...
1:21pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Of course they are not personally directed of course!!!!!.
Casual Observer
says...
1:50pm Wed 14 Oct 09
You are quite simply sanctimonious and self-serving, even to the dispicable point of accusing anybody regularly disagreeing with you as being either obsessed or a stalker.
Could you BE more self-regarding, I wonder.
Cavalera
says...
2:03pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Casual Observer wrote:....and could you be any more of a whingebag, turning EVERY thread into a 'get Bob' vendetta.
Bob, I don't wish to enter a slanging match with you as your inability to accept any view that doesn't comply with your own has been proven time and time again. You've also proved yourself on many occasions to be as dim as a Toc H lamp. You are quite simply sanctimonious and self-serving, even to the dispicable point of accusing anybody regularly disagreeing with you as being either obsessed or a stalker. Could you BE more self-regarding, I wonder.
His comments do not appear to be insulting or inflammatory but you come on here time and time again looking for a fight.
And no, I don't know Bob, have never met the man.
Can I make a suggestion : GET A LIFE because you clearly don't have one already.
Jiver
says...
2:34pm Wed 14 Oct 09
On this particular thread however, he is able to supply factual data, and first hand experience.
That aside, the obvious folly, of continually building the same establishments, is hardly deniable.
Turning every debatable opportunity into a personal jousting will solve nothing.
Again, Over development, of the wrong kind, has been destroying Swindon centre, for many years.
The excessive number of hotels, popping up everywhere is a blatant example, that anyone with an ounce of logic would realise.
Even Angrier Monkey
says...
3:12pm Wed 14 Oct 09
You know, like things to do other than binge drink and fight, entertainment- sort of thing.
Home Boy
says...
3:59pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Even Angrier Monkey wrote:Like a canal? :-)
Now that there are loads of hotels in the town centre is there any chance of building something that might make people want to stay in central Swindon?
You know, like things to do other than binge drink and fight, entertainment- sort of thing.
JeanieG
says...
4:25pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Bobfm
says...
6:27pm Wed 14 Oct 09
I thank the SA for understanding that and for other posters who as has been said do disagree with me, but are not insulting or abusive, that is Democracy,
Scott Thunes
says...
7:28pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Bobfm wrote:Hear hear Bob!
I thank those who have come to my defence. Aside from not posting (which I did do for several weeks) as soon as I returned the same posters reappeared. I have views and I will not be intimidated by those who don't. I thank the SA for understanding that and for other posters who as has been said do disagree with me, but are not insulting or abusive, that is Democracy,
PeeGee
says...
7:53pm Wed 14 Oct 09
But your Xenophobia knows no bounds. You just have to have a dig about foreigners, don't you? And with neither proof nor justification. Why will "the majority of staff be migrant workers"? Me thinks this is just a casual assumption. Or do you have proof that this will be the case? I also assume that you mean the migrants will be legal. In which case it will be their right to work. Or are you accusing a multi-national leisure chain of illegal employment?
I don't know if another hotel is required. I do not know the take up of beds in the existing ones. But if it isn't, neither is your expanson plan. If it is, then good. Although I spy some sour grapes regarding own application.
Casual Observer
says...
10:35pm Wed 14 Oct 09
Bobfm wrote:Another incredibly pompous response, but entirely predicted.
I thank those who have come to my defence. Aside from not posting (which I did do for several weeks) as soon as I returned the same posters reappeared. I have views and I will not be intimidated by those who don't.
I thank the SA for understanding that and for other posters who as has been said do disagree with me, but are not insulting or abusive, that is Democracy,
You are of course completely wrong in your assertion that other 'same' posters didn't post when you went quiet for a few weeks, but yet again you think the world revolves around you.
As for democracy, it was you who was unceremoniously thrown off the Democracy Forum for posting insults, abuse and lies, was it not?.
Scott Thunes
says...
12:17am Thu 15 Oct 09
Bobfm
says...
9:02am Thu 15 Oct 09
As I did at the time, I stand by my comments which led to the ban. They were not lies, but I was not prepared to reveal my source. If someone tells you something in confidence, the decent thing to do is honour it, by not revealing who they are.
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PeeveD says...
10:53pm Tue 13 Oct 09