Hotel may be built on site of council car park

A four-star hotel could be built on the site of a council-owned car park in Staines

A four-star riverside hotel may be built on the site of a council car park in Surrey after the land was leased to a private developer.

Spelthorne Borough Council said it had agreed to lease the land under Bridge Street car park in Staines to Arora Group, which will look to submit planning permission for a hotel on the site.

Joanne Sexton, chair of the council's corporate resources and policy committee, said the hotel was a "very exciting project which will transform the area".

The site will continue to be used as a car park in the interim.

"The development of a quality hotel will provide an economic boost for our main town and strengthen the link between the town centre and riverfront," Ms Sexton added.

"It's a strong signal that businesses like the Arora Group are keen to invest in Spelthorne and can see the potential in our borough."

Under the plans, the Arora Group will lease the land from the council and will submit plans to build a four-star hotel on the riverside land, which is currently occupied by the car park and Hanover House.

The company has indicated it will carry out a public consultation to ensure the development fits well with its surroundings, the council said.

Under the terms of the lease, any new building cannot exceed 25m in height.

Surinder Arora, chairman of the Arora Group, said it "genuinely believed that the area needs the introduction of a new four-star hotel development".

The Arora Group, which also runs hotels in Heathrow and Englefield Green, near Staines, said the new site would create 160 new jobs.

A planning application for the new site is expected to be submitted within the next year.

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