A new six-storey business hotel has been recommended for borough councillor approval despite opposition from the area’s parish council.
VUR Village Trading No 1 Ltd wants to build the new 153-bed hotel, with a gym, swimming pool, a restaurant/pub, and cafe on a 1.13 hectare parcel of land at Woodlands Business Park, in Breckland, Linford Wood.
Stantonbury Parish Council’s objections mean the issue will come before councillors for a decision to be made at Milton Keynes Council’s Development Control Committee next Thursday (July 4).
The parish council is concerned about additional traffic and queueing on the surrounding grid roads, as well as pollution affecting surrounding wildlife sites. The parish council says the building will be prominent in the landscape and there is the potential to overshadow local residents.
Council planners do not support the objections and instead say that the site already has permission for a four-storey block. And the council has been told that buildings at the business park are vacant, and the land is not needed for more offices.
MK Council senior planning officer Elizabeth Verdegem, in her report to next week’s committee, said: “The proposal represents a large addition to the business park, that will become a prominent building, but one which delivers modern additional facilities to the business park.
“It is considered that the size, layout and design of the proposal is acceptable given the context of its surroundings, and that the applicant has demonstrated that the proposed parking and landscaping schemes are acceptable given the nature of the proposal and its context.
“The proposal complies with local and national policy, and is therefore recommended for approval.” They say it is far enough away from houses on the other side of Saxon Street not to be “visually imposing”.
MK Council’s own economic development team has supported the application which it says will create 120 full-time hospitality jobs.
The council has also sought financial contributions totalling £241,843 “in order to make the application acceptable”.
This will pay for public art (£91,473), carbon offsetting (£94,329), improvements to public transport, and public transport maintenance (£2,500).
The applicants have told the council that they intend to deliver the public art provision on site and the transport contribution will involve upgrading the bus stops on Saxon Street.
