Second public consultation launched on proposals to redevelop the Premier Inn Norwich Nelson site
Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hospitality company and owner of Premier Inn, is launching a second public consultation to share detailed proposals for the redevelopment of the Premier Inn Norwich Nelson City Centre site on Prince of Wales Road, Norwich.
This latest public consultation follows an earlier consultation in the spring which introduced Whitbread’s plans to comprehensively redevelop the site of the Norwich Nelson hotel, the Nelson Table Table restaurant, several commercial units, car parking spaces and surrounding land.
Whitbread intends to replace the existing hotel and restaurant with a larger, latest format Premier Inn and introduce new purpose-built accommodation for students as well as new homes. The development includes attractive new green landscaped areas with an enhanced river walkway to the southeast of the site, fronting onto Norwich station.
This second public consultation builds on the comments received from the local community during the initial consultation as well as feedback from the Council and other stakeholders on the emerging designs. It will provide a further opportunity to help refine the plans before Whitbread submits a full planning application for the redevelopment to Norwich City Council this September.
Richard Pearson, Senior Development Manager for Whitbread, said:
“Our refined proposals builds on the meaningful consultation we undertook with the site team, local community, our neighbours, key stakeholders, and the Council earlier this year. We have received strong support for what we are seeking to achieve, and our updated proposals have been shaped by the many comments we received as well as further input from our architect, landscape and planning teams and officers at Norwich City Council.
“The goal at Norwich Nelson is to create a new development which refreshes our hotel offer for our guests, makes best use of the site and the gateway location, provides high-quality public space for the city, and integrates with its surroundings. Celebrating the rich history of Norwich in the design is also important to us. We’re looking forward to receiving further comments on our refined plans as we progress towards submitting a planning application to Norwich City Council in the autumn.”
In its latest design, Whitbread is proposing a thoughtful reduction in the height of the proposed student accommodation and a stepped façade to the residential building, enhancing views of St Faith’s House and the Old Weaver Building and integrating with the surrounding townscape.
In total, the proposal will create 12,000 sqm of publicly accessible space, including a widened promenade to create a more inviting riverwalk and an expanded urban plaza to foster a sense of community.
Additional extensive planting and new trees promoting biodiversity and creating green, relaxing environments with ample seating and spaces for residents and visitors to unwind are also an important feature of the updated proposals.
Whitbread’s design team will be available at two public drop-in exhibition events where the updated plans will be on display. The events have been organised for Wednesday 17th July, from 3pm-7pm, and Thursday 18th July, from 10:30am-2:30pm, at The Nelson Table Table, NR1 1DX.
Further information about the latest proposals is also available at: www.norwichnelson.co.uk and all the consultation material at the public exhibition events, including an online feedback facility, will be uploaded to the site to coincide with the events.
