Premier Inn submits expansion plans for Cheshire hotel

Premier Inn has submitted plans to expand its Northwich South location in Cheshire. The hotels group has lodged a planning application with Cheshire West and Chester Council that seeks to add a two-storey annex to its London Road site, increasing the room count by 32 to a total of 100 rooms.

The plans also include creating an additional 10 parking spaces. The application outlines this move as part of a wider refurbishment aimed at 'rationalising and expanding' site services.

It states: "This scheme has been designed to provide the most bed space, whilst ensuring minimal impact to highways, landscaping and amenity of neighbouring properties."

The site has seen multiple planning applications, with the most recent approval being in July 2021 for constructing additional bedrooms, though the project didn't commence before the permission lapsed. The hotel sits on a 1.2-acre Leftwich plot with the Woodpecker Cookhouse and Pub, both establishments are under the umbrella of international hospitality giant Whitbread, with the Woodpecker catering to the public as well as serving hotel guests.

Whitbread has unveiled a £500m investment plan to add 3,500 new hotel rooms nationwide, and aims to enhance its food and beverage offerings by launching more restaurants within its hotels. The company's recent filing states: "The proposed annex block will provide an additional 32 bedrooms to address a considerable identified demand for additional hotel accommodation at the existing hotel site.", reports Cheshire Live.

"The annex block will be open to all Premier Inn guests and utilised in tandem with the existing hotel."

A decision on the application is pending. The proposal can be reviewed on the council's planning portal using the application number: 24/03408/FUL.