Premier Inn Appeals Against Planning Decision

Premier Inn has today appealed against the planning decision by South Oxfordshire District Council for a five-storey hotel with 115 bedrooms and a 92 cover restaurant to built on the railway station car park that was made in August 2022.

The original planning application was submitted in July 2021 with amended plans submitted in February 2022 that saw a reduction in height of 0.5 metres with amended landscaping and materials. Henley Town Council recommended refusal and there were 80+ comments on line objecting to the plans.

In the SODC decision notice confirming the refusal it stated, “The design of the proposed building, in particular its visual bulk, massing, scale, roof form, height and materials, does not deliver a high quality development that respects the context of the site and, as a result, would be out of character with the surrounding area. Furthermore, the proposal fails to secure a high quality and landscaped public realm that is interesting and aesthetically pleasing to all users, nor does it provide an appropriate spatial setting for users of the public convenience. The loss of existing mature trees and inadequate replacement planting. The proposal has not demonstrated how the development will achieve at least a 40% reduction in carbon emissions.”

Residents can give their views on the appeal until 5 April at Reference: APP/Q3115/W/22/3313757 (planninginspectorate.gov.uk) and the appeal hearing is set for 10 May 2023.