Councillors to decide on plans for six-storey hotel in Orchard Park in Cambridge

Councillors are set to consider plans for a new six-storey hotel on the edge of Cambridge next week.

The hotel is proposed for one of the remaining sections of land in Orchard Park and if approved, would reach a total height of 24.4metres.

It is proposed that the building includes a mixture of 137 hotel rooms and 80 aparthotel rooms for longer staying guests.

The plans have been put forward by TLC Group and also include a restaurant, bar and cafe, as well as a gym and swimming pool.

A co-working office area is proposed to be created, alongside two conference rooms and individual meeting rooms that will be available to hire

A basement car park is planned with 178 car parking spaces, of which 16 would be wheelchair accessible.

The development also proposed to offer 124 visitor cycle parking spaces, as well as 30 secure cycle parking spaces.

A report published by South Cambridgeshire District Council ahead of the planning meeting reveals that some concerns about the project have been raised by landscape officers.

It said: “The landscape team maintains concerns regarding the scale of development, and the effects of the development on sensitive local visual receptors.”

Objections to the development have also been raised by the Orchard Park Community Council, which has listed a number of concerns.

These include the potential for there to be an increase in cars travelling around the area to go to the hotel, gym, pool and restaurant.

The council also argued the amount of parking was inadequate, highlighting that pavement parking was a problem in the area and raised worries the new hotel could exacerbate this.

In the report, officers said the amount of car parking spaces proposed is less than the standards set out by the council in its current local plan.

However, they said the transport assessment team did not expect the hotel to cause overspill parking into surrounding roads.

Overall, planning officers said they recommend the application to be approved, subject to a series of conditions.

The report said: “It has been demonstrated that the proposal can assimilate successfully into its surrounding context without causing any harm.

“The proposal has been through a series of pre-application and design enabling panel iterations that officers consider have led to a well-designed scheme.

“The proposal would have economic benefits through the creation of local employment opportunities within the area from the operation of the hotel, aparthotel, recreation and conference facilities.

“Social benefits would accrue from financial contributions towards local infrastructure, the improvements to the range of accommodation facilities in the area and the provision of recreational facilities for the general public.

“The purchasing of habitat units would ensure that the scheme delivers a biodiversity net gain.”

The application will be heard by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday (14 February).