Hotel 'to bring 7,000 new customers to Witney'

7:00am Thursday 20th December 2012 in Witney

COUNCILLORS have backed a new hotel in Witney and hope it will help enhance West Oxfordshire’s tourism.

District council members granted planning permission for the 57-bedroom Premier Inn hotel in Ducklington Lane at a lowlands area planning subcommittee meeting.

The 2,510 sq ft hotel, over two and three-storeys, will create 30 jobs and bring 7,371 new customers a year to Witney, Premier Inn’s owners Whitbread have predicted.

Planning officers have been given delegated powers to rubber stamp the scheme after reaching agreement about conserving protected trees on the site and developer funding.

Area planning manager Phil Shaw said: “The key issue is related to the trees. There is a particularly fine walnut tree along Ducklington Lane which provides screening of Lidl.

“By pushing the car park spaces into the root protection area it is putting pressure on what is an important tree.”

He suggested the two-storey elevation along Ducklington Lane could be increased in height to move the hotel away from the protected trees.

But he said: “We believe it is a good site for a hotel and, given tourism is so important for the district, it is an opportunity we should grab hold of.”

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Premier Inn has already agreed to remove a planned outside seating area to the front of the building to alleviate concerns about antisocial behaviour.

Councillor Richard Langridge said: “I think it is much-needed facility and asset to Witney that can only enhance the tourism offer we provide.

“On the subject of trees, I applaud the officers for looking to protect them, but I also think people before trees.”

Comments (10)

7:46am Thu 20 Dec 12

bobbylashley says...

Still need to sort out the Ducklington lane 4way junction.Station lane traffic is already backed up past the sainsbury roundabouts.
Still need to sort out the Ducklington lane 4way junction.Station lane traffic is already backed up past the sainsbury roundabouts. bobbylashley

8:00am Thu 20 Dec 12

xjohnx says...

Badly needed facility.

Expect the nimbys to start ramping up the planning costs any minute now.

I suggest enviromental impact surveys, then tree felling objections, then another survey, then it will be suggested that a rare newt or butterfly has been seen. Oh yes! the roads will need several years of planning objections as well.

Then Premier Inn will drop the project and go to Eynsham or Woodstock.
Badly needed facility. Expect the nimbys to start ramping up the planning costs any minute now. I suggest enviromental impact surveys, then tree felling objections, then another survey, then it will be suggested that a rare newt or butterfly has been seen. Oh yes! the roads will need several years of planning objections as well. Then Premier Inn will drop the project and go to Eynsham or Woodstock. xjohnx

11:59am Thu 20 Dec 12

rwill19050 says...

xjohnx wrote:
Badly needed facility.

Expect the nimbys to start ramping up the planning costs any minute now.

I suggest enviromental impact surveys, then tree felling objections, then another survey, then it will be suggested that a rare newt or butterfly has been seen. Oh yes! the roads will need several years of planning objections as well.

Then Premier Inn will drop the project and go to Eynsham or Woodstock.
And your answer is to ride roughshod over legitimate concerns.
Your comment about newts and butterflies shows just how narrow minded you are.
And yes, the roads do need looking at.
By the way where do you live then that traffic is not a concern to you?
So what's you answer then, concrete over the the whole of Witney and surrounding villages for the sake of profit?
[quote][p][bold]xjohnx[/bold] wrote: Badly needed facility. Expect the nimbys to start ramping up the planning costs any minute now. I suggest enviromental impact surveys, then tree felling objections, then another survey, then it will be suggested that a rare newt or butterfly has been seen. Oh yes! the roads will need several years of planning objections as well. Then Premier Inn will drop the project and go to Eynsham or Woodstock.[/p][/quote]And your answer is to ride roughshod over legitimate concerns. Your comment about newts and butterflies shows just how narrow minded you are. And yes, the roads do need looking at. By the way where do you live then that traffic is not a concern to you? So what's you answer then, concrete over the the whole of Witney and surrounding villages for the sake of profit? rwill19050

2:17pm Thu 20 Dec 12

Paul Wesson says...

xjohnx wrote:
Badly needed facility.

Expect the nimbys to start ramping up the planning costs any minute now.

I suggest enviromental impact surveys, then tree felling objections, then another survey, then it will be suggested that a rare newt or butterfly has been seen. Oh yes! the roads will need several years of planning objections as well.

Then Premier Inn will drop the project and go to Eynsham or Woodstock.
Eynsham and Woodstock are part of West Oxfordshire District. This means they have the same planning officers with the same policies to implement. Lowlands Sub-Committee covers Eynsham and Witney so it would be the same councillors. Woodstock is covered by Uplands Sub-Committee. A Premier Inn is acceptable on the outskirts of Witney where there are no major conservation issues, but building in and around Woodstock would be harder. Premier Inns are not going to attract the lucrative foreign tourists who want to be in the pretty bits of the town and in traditional hotels, but are there for business travellers. A businessman doing business in Witney would not overnight in Woodstock.
[quote][p][bold]xjohnx[/bold] wrote: Badly needed facility. Expect the nimbys to start ramping up the planning costs any minute now. I suggest enviromental impact surveys, then tree felling objections, then another survey, then it will be suggested that a rare newt or butterfly has been seen. Oh yes! the roads will need several years of planning objections as well. Then Premier Inn will drop the project and go to Eynsham or Woodstock.[/p][/quote]Eynsham and Woodstock are part of West Oxfordshire District. This means they have the same planning officers with the same policies to implement. Lowlands Sub-Committee covers Eynsham and Witney so it would be the same councillors. Woodstock is covered by Uplands Sub-Committee. A Premier Inn is acceptable on the outskirts of Witney where there are no major conservation issues, but building in and around Woodstock would be harder. Premier Inns are not going to attract the lucrative foreign tourists who want to be in the pretty bits of the town and in traditional hotels, but are there for business travellers. A businessman doing business in Witney would not overnight in Woodstock. Paul Wesson

3:13pm Thu 20 Dec 12

H.J.Harris says...

How will these 7,000 get to and from the Hotel ?

Traffic into and out of Witney is difficult enough on this busy road already so let us all hope improvements are made to the infrastructure so the development may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
It will be interesting to see how many real full-time jobs are created for Witney people.
How will these 7,000 get to and from the Hotel ? Traffic into and out of Witney is difficult enough on this busy road already so let us all hope improvements are made to the infrastructure so the development may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. It will be interesting to see how many real full-time jobs are created for Witney people. H.J.Harris

3:47pm Thu 20 Dec 12

xjohnx says...

To small minded rwilr5190

My remarks about butterflys and newts was to point up the fabrications that are often made by nimbys to prevent legitimate plans.

Not meant to be anti nature, just to point out nimby tactics that are destroying legitimate planning processes.

Fake reports of flora & fauna damage have been used more than once to try and drive off legitimate development. I refer you to complaints against the latest Osney water turbine project.
To small minded rwilr5190 My remarks about butterflys and newts was to point up the fabrications that are often made by nimbys to prevent legitimate plans. Not meant to be anti nature, just to point out nimby tactics that are destroying legitimate planning processes. Fake reports of flora & fauna damage have been used more than once to try and drive off legitimate development. I refer you to complaints against the latest Osney water turbine project. xjohnx

6:35pm Thu 20 Dec 12

Greenie27 says...

If Witney do not want it then bring it to Carterton. Plenty of space in the business park area plus it would also come with a supporting family pub / restaurant which is much needed in this area. It would be an ideal starting point for Cotswolds touring and also serve as a benefit to the armed forces families who come to see off / welcome their loved ones from out of area tours.
If Witney do not want it then bring it to Carterton. Plenty of space in the business park area plus it would also come with a supporting family pub / restaurant which is much needed in this area. It would be an ideal starting point for Cotswolds touring and also serve as a benefit to the armed forces families who come to see off / welcome their loved ones from out of area tours. Greenie27

6:52pm Thu 20 Dec 12

mute1 says...

What will come first - Premier Inn or the CLR?
What will come first - Premier Inn or the CLR? mute1

8:19pm Thu 20 Dec 12

parvinder msvarency says...

H.J.Harris wrote:
How will these 7,000 get to and from the Hotel ?

Traffic into and out of Witney is difficult enough on this busy road already so let us all hope improvements are made to the infrastructure so the development may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
It will be interesting to see how many real full-time jobs are created for Witney people.
20 people a day is hardly worth worrying yourself over H.J. I don't think they will bring Witney to a standstill. Councillor Richard Langridge said: “I think it is much-needed facility and asset to Witney that can only enhance the tourism offer we provide.

“On the subject of trees, I applaud the officers for looking to protect them, but I also think people before trees.”

Blimey a councillior that lives in the same world as us. Well said Sir.
[quote][p][bold]H.J.Harris[/bold] wrote: How will these 7,000 get to and from the Hotel ? Traffic into and out of Witney is difficult enough on this busy road already so let us all hope improvements are made to the infrastructure so the development may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. It will be interesting to see how many real full-time jobs are created for Witney people.[/p][/quote]20 people a day is hardly worth worrying yourself over H.J. I don't think they will bring Witney to a standstill. Councillor Richard Langridge said: “I think it is much-needed facility and asset to Witney that can only enhance the tourism offer we provide. “On the subject of trees, I applaud the officers for looking to protect them, but I also think people before trees.” Blimey a councillior that lives in the same world as us. Well said Sir. parvinder msvarency

4:03am Sun 23 Dec 12

H.J.Harris says...

7371 divided by 365 gives an average of around 20 a day but there are the service and staff vehicles to take into consideration.
As for people over trees, they can easily co-exist and need to.
I do not oppose the Hotel and hope it is used as an improvement to the town but have reservations as I feel that it is rather a large scale project for such a small piece of land.
7371 divided by 365 gives an average of around 20 a day but there are the service and staff vehicles to take into consideration. As for people over trees, they can easily co-exist and need to. I do not oppose the Hotel and hope it is used as an improvement to the town but have reservations as I feel that it is rather a large scale project for such a small piece of land. H.J.Harris

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