Hoped for Winter Gardens hotel scheme moves closer as developers agree deal to pay for tree planting

Councillors had stalled on making a decision over the scheme to build a five-storey apart-hotel with 266 bedrooms on land opposite the Winter Gardens.

The application is now set to go back before the council's Planning Committee on Tuesday December 10 with a recommendation for approval. A report says updated proposals now include planting at ground level along Leopold Grove, Alfred Street and Adelaide Street.

But hopes of putting 26 ornamental trees in planters at first floor level have been dashed as they would be too heavy. Instead the developer has agreed to pay £26,000 towards off-site tree planting. However the first floor planters will be retained and used for shrubbery instead.

Town hall planners say the revised landscaping proposals "would provide good quality hard and soft landscaping" which would preserve the character of the Town Centre Conservation Area and the setting of the Grade II* listed Winter Gardens.

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Members of the Planning Committee have previously indicated they are happy with the overall appearance of the hotel, which is due to be developed by C1 Capital Partners Ltd and Mottrom Estates, whose current brands include Hilton London Olympia and a Mercure hotel in Northampton.

The scheme (reference 24/0315) already has planning permission but the applicant is seeking approval for more detailed designs, referred to as reserved matters.