UK: Whitbread has revealed conversion plans for The Premier Inn hotel at St James Barton roundabout in Bristol city centre.
Whitbread is seeking to transform the site with its development partner Olympian Homes, and is considering coliving and student housing options.
Olympian Homes has appointed architect Hodder & Partners to create a scheme for the 0.3 hectare site. The proposals include two buildings – a 28-storey student accommodation building with 445 student beds; and an 18-storey coliving building with 136 rooms, as well as a new ground floor café.
It is expected to be a low or zero car parking scheme, given its city centre location immediately adjacent to Bristol bus and coach station and 20 per cent of the coliving homes would be affordable.
The existing 20-storey building – originally built as an office in 1972 by Avon County Council – is a prominent presence in this gateway site to the city centre. If approved, the plans will reveal the Grade 1 listed St James’ Priory currently obscured by the hotel.
Richard Pearson, development manager for Whitbread, said: “The Premier Inn at Haymarket is at the end of its life. Though the location is great the current building does not provide the high brand standards our customers expect of us, and it needs substantial investment. We also have a much newer Premier Inn at Lewins Mead which is a short walk from the Haymarket hotel and serves the same catchment.
“Redeveloping the site presents an opportunity to realise the true potential of the gateway location for the city, whilst generating funds to reinvest in our network modern and energy efficient hotels in Bristol and elsewhere. The sale is part of our strategy of ensuring our hotel offer is of the highest quality and in the very best locations for our customers,” he added.
