Leicester hotel plans approved despite 'Trojan horse' claim

Plans for the hotel were approved on Wednesday

Plans to turn an office block into a hotel could be a "Trojan horse" to bypass long-term accommodation rules, a councillor has said.

HSK Property Management applied to Leicester City Council to turn a building next to Blunts Shoes shop on St George's Way into a 14-bed hotel.

Patrick Kitterick, Green councillor for Castle ward, told a planning committee meeting the bid "doesn't add up".

The application was approved with a condition limiting stays to two months.

'Romantic weekend'

Mr Kitterick said the building was intended to be used for long-term accommodation, adding a hotel with 14 rooms has "not got the critical mass to operate as a hotel", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"There is something about this application which, frankly, doesn't add up," he told the committee.

"How can we guarantee that people don't use a Trojan horse of a hotel to drive a coach and horses through the standard we would expect of long-term residential accommodation?"

Mr Kitterick also questioned the applicant's description of the hotel as being "boutique".

"I don't know if you've ever stayed in a boutique hotel, but if you went away with the one you loved for a romantic weekend and you ended up in accommodation on the edge of the ring road with views of a derelict post office and a car park on the other side, I don't think that would be the best weekend in the world," he said.

Officers had recommended the development be approved, describing the initial proposals as "acceptable" and "in keeping with the objective of supporting new hotels and conference venues".