Flooding worries as city 'gateway' project stalls

A proposed major rebuild of a "gateway" city centre hotel has been delayed amid concerns about its design and flooding and pollution.

The Nelson hotel - run by Premier Inn - and its surrounding site, near Norwich train station, has been described as in an "end-of-life" state.

Plans for its demolition and rebuild alongside new flats and student accommodation were lodged with Norwich City Council last October but the seven-storey height of part of the proposal led to objections.

Whitbread, which owns Premier Inn, said it was "a real opportunity to improve this key gateway site in Norwich".

It had been hoped the new hotel would open in June 2027 but Whitbread and the city council have both told the BBC it is unclear when a planning decision could be made.

A city council spokesperson said: "Officers are continuing to work with the applicant, however, a date for it to go to planning committee has not, as yet, been identified."

There have already been two phases of public consultation.

The latest plans propose a "vibrant new gateway to the city" with 248 rooms - up by 63 with the building ranging in height from seven to five storeys.

The vacant former HMRC offices in Prince of Wales Road could be demolished along with a significant reduction of car parking spaces.

Plans are in place for up to 75 homes and 491 rooms of student accommodation as flat blocks of a maximum six storeys in height

The site currently has 165 car parking spaces but this would drop to just 13 with four added for light goods vehicles and 14 for disabled people, alongside 219 cycle spaces.

In its plans, Whitbread describe the pressing need for a rebuild, saying: "The end-of-life site presents an uninviting gateway to Norwich and is in need of significant regeneration to secure its long-term contribution to the city's future."

However, both Anglian Water and Norfolk County Council have recently raised concerns about potential additional risks for flooding and water pollution.

Anglian Water has urged Whitbread to discuss a range of issues it needs more information about, stating there is "an unacceptable risk of flooding downstream".

The county council's flood risk officers have lodged objections and also asked for a range of further information, highlighting a need for a flood risk assessment and a drainage strategy.

This follows Historic England raising concerns that the development "was too tall and out of character with the conservation areas and nearby listed buildings", while adding that it "was keen to see the site redeveloped".

The Broads Authority has also said the buildings will be "over-bearing" and "imposing" when viewed from river heights.

The site has been home to a hotel for more than a century, with the former Great Eastern Hotel demolished in 1963.

A Whitbread spokesperson said: "We're not able to confirm timings until planning consent has been secured.

"Our consultants have submitted detailed technical information on flood mitigation as part of the planning application and are working closely with the relevant authorities, including the [city] council's experts, to ensure that any concerns are properly addressed.

"The existing hotel no longer meets Premier Inn's modern operational requirements.

"The proposed redevelopment would provide a larger, more sustainable building that better meets the needs of staff, guests and the business.

"It's also a real opportunity to improve this key gateway site in Norwich."

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