A NEW 83-bed Travelodge hotel is due to open in Oxford early next year.

Construction has begun on the £5.5m Abingdon Road hotel after years of disputes with Oxford City Council.

The council originally refused planning permission, objecting on the grounds that the building was unattractive and the planned 45 parking spaces were not enough.

But a Government planning inspector overturned the ruling last May after an appeal from Travelodge and now the building work has begun. Development director Tony O’Brien said: “We are delighted that work has started on site at Abingdon Road and hope that the new Travelodge will be open for business in early 2016.

“The hotel is perfectly located for visitors to the city who will be able to use the neighbouring Park & Ride to get into the centre easily.

“When open The hotel will create 25 full and part-time jobs and our guests will contribute greatly to the tourist market in Oxford.”

The hotel will also have a cafe-bar.

Planning inspector Alan Wood, who approved the scheme last May, said it was just as likely that hotel guests would actually use the Park and Ride bus service as not.

Plans for a four-storey Travelodge hotel on the site – which is currently occupied by UK Bathroom Warehouse –were originally rejected in July 2012 because of fears the building would be an “over-dominant” feature close to the Oxford Green Belt.

New plans were submitted in January 2013 for a smaller three-storey building but this was also rejected.