Jane Austen hotel to be made into student flats

The plans would see all of 99 hotel rooms used as student bedrooms, with en-suite bathrooms

Plans to turn a Grade II listed hotel into student accommodation have been recommended for approval.

Developers want to convert Southampton's closed Dolphin Hotel into 99 bedrooms for students.

The hotel, said to have welcomed Jane Austen, Queen Victoria and Admiral Lord Nelson, has most recently been used as accommodation for asylum seekers.

The change of use plans will be debated by Southampton City Council's planning committee on 9 July.

A plaque on the wall at the front of the hotel says Jane Austen celebrated her 18th birthday in the hotel's ballroom

It was built on the city's High Street more than 500 years ago and is believed to be Southampton's oldest hotel.

Councillors, tourism groups, residents and the Hampshire Branch of the Jane Austen Society have voiced their opposition to the change.

Dolphin Hotel Property Limited has said it will create a museum or interpretation centre in the building dedicated to the Pride and Prejudice author.

Under the plans the public would be able to access the dining room and lounge areas on the ground floor by appointment.

The council's head of culture and tourism said the Dolphin's "unique heritage and international appeal" had been undersold.

A planning officer's report to the committee, which recommends granting the application, said the principle of a student residential development was considered acceptable and supported given the "established need" in the city.

The report said: "The concerns raised by third parties about the loss of this important and attractive hotel with a strong tourist draw is well articulated.

"However, the planning system, and our adopted development plan, doesn't protect the Dolphin Hotel from closure and the council cannot insist that an unviable business remains open."

The hotel closed to guests in November 2021.