The excerpt from the plan above has been cut and paste from Lambeth Planning Database under the section for Application 10/03151/FUL, "Indicative Facade Section - Bondway". Copyright Dexter Moren Associates.
My good bloggy commentator, Transport Mark, pointed to a planning application submitted in mid-September for a new 148 bedroom Travelodge in Vauxhall. (It's 10/03151/FUL in the Lambeth Planning case the link doesn't work). The first submission was invalid for some reason, but now it's definitely back on the table and residents have until the October 20th 2010 to respond. Salmon Developments Plc own the land, and you can see a vague sketch of how they think the hotel might look on their site here. Although Salmon plc have suggested the hotel will contain 155 beds, permission has been sought for only 148.
The application has been submitted for a 6 storey (and additional lower ground) building which would comprise a hotel with bar/restaurant, along with a variety of commercial units (retail, financial services, restaurants/cafes and drinking establishments) as well as a "roof level plant". (I'm presuming that's some form of machinery). It sounds as though they've hedged their bets somewhat, hoping for a complete range of planning permission for different types of establishment, but it looks the type of application that could be amended were they unable to find a particular type of tenant. The hotel makes a change from the high rise proposals, which is good. I imagine they'll have to replace what's currently in place, so it doesn't make sense to build up. I vaguely wonder whether there's a risk of over-hotelling, considering the level of hotel building currently taking place in Waterloo, but no doubt these companies know what they're doing!
There's currently a budget Comfort Inn hotel in Vauxhall, but it's some distance from the tube down South Lambeth Road. There's a Park Plaza at 18 Albert Embankment (quite close to Lambeth Palace). Lambeth Council granted planning permission for a new 168 bedroom hotel at the Oval (eventually, once the area was deemed "safe"). A hotel will form approx. half of the lower portion of one of the Vauxhall Island Site buildings (see here). And I've this vague feeling that we had another hotel proposal suggested for Vauxhall, but I can't remember where, and I've searched my archives with no success. Anyhow, none of the proposed hotels are huge, so there's probably no reason that the hotels can't happily co-exist.
I can't think of any reason not to support this application, although I'm wondering whether the proposal includes the land currently occupied by the Big Issue offices. I don't think I'd be thrilled to stay in a hotel opposite Vauxhall bus station, (maybe they'll open up the South Lambeth Place side too), but I think retail units opposite the bus station would perform well and improve the area no end, and you can't beat the transport links!
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I really wouldn't fancy a hotel room with a bus station on one side and a railway line on the other. The application documents note that the noise on the site "exceeds" Travelodge's standards and therefore they have to put in place countermeasures.
That being said, the hotel chains probably know their market better than I do, and as it's a new building, they can probably give it very good soundproofing. I'm pretty sure that the area can support more hotels - the Comfort Inn is already pretty successful at drawing in budget travellers, so I think there's a clear demand, especially given the excellent transport links.
Hotels also mean that there are more people in the area who are using local bars, restaurants, etc.
To memory, the current building looks to be empty offices. No wonder it's empty, really: sandwiched between the Big Issue and a hostel, with views over the bus station and some rail tracks it's not what you'd call a prime location. This proposal looks like a sensible attempt to bring some amenities to the area; I wish the developers luck.
I have reviewed the DAS which seems to respond to the features of the site well. Crucially the building will both stay within the total height of the current building and also try to respond to the smaller form of the Big Issue building, so i think the planners will support it. The use of Bronze cladding could be really nice if detailed well.
Thanks for the comments on this. It looks to be receiving favourable reviews, and as I stated, I can't think of any reason to refuse the development. It would be good to have a few more shops/restaurants accessible from the bus and tube station.
@zecks, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with DAS. Is it an architectural acronym? I'm pleased that the original building height is kept. Bronze cladding would certainly cause the building to stand out!
It's not on the Big Issue offices themselves, but next door to them.
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