Plans for a large new hotel in York city centre could get the green light this week.
The proposal for the six-storey, 82-bedroom building, on a car park behind Mill House on North Street, is recommended for approval by planning officers.
It sits within yards of two existing hotels – the Micklegate Travelodge and the Park Inn.
The Helmsley Group is behind the plans, which were originally for a 99-bed, eight-storey hotel. But after feedback, it lowered the height to reduce the impact on nearby churches including the former Church of St John the Evangelist.
However, the York Civic Trust still believes the new hotel is too big for its setting. It says the plans are “excessive and fundamentally incompatible with its surrounds”.
“The vast majority of the surrounding buildings on North Street, Micklegate, and George Hudson Street do not exceed four storeys; therefore, a proposed building of 6/7 storeys is grossly out of scale in terms of height for its context,” the trust said.
Crime concerns
Nathaniel Dutton-Smith, co-owner of the nearby Karoo restaurant on George Hudson Street, has raised concerns that the building could “potentially create an environment for crime and disorder to take place.”
He writes: “It is already the case the passageway located between Jalou (Nightclub) & Travelodge Hotel is frequently used as a toilet, substance misuse or sleeping place for the homeless.
“I am deeply concerned that safety for workers entering or leaving the site will be compromised.”
North Yorkshire Police did express concerns. But a City of York Council report says that the force believes “conditions controlling external lighting and agreement of a Designing Out Crime Statement would be sufficient to address issues”.
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The new hotel would sit next to two Grade II listed buildings, the Whippet Inn and the Church of St John the Evangelist. But now the hotel’s height has been reduced, it “would have a very limited impact” on the church, says the council report.
It adds: “Furthermore, the scheme provides a sustainable car-free development and will help to meet the council’s ambitious climate change targets…
“The proposal is considered to be a distinctive and positive design solution for
the location and acceptable on amenity grounds.”
It will be decided at a planning committee meeting on Wednesday (8 June). Read the papers here.
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