Popular Birmingham pub’s plans for new hotel take a step forward

The Village Inn on Alcester Road is seeking permission for a three-storey hotel with 41 bedrooms, a ground-floor function room and a roof terrace.

It would be built at the back of the existing pub and served by 18 parking spaces.

Ward Councillor Izzy Knowles and The Moseley Society both supported the proposals but 28 third-party objections were received amid concerns over issues such as parking and the visual impact.

A council report, published ahead of a planning meeting next week, said the proposals followed a previously-refused application with a number of alterations.

They included the width of the building being reduced at ground level; a smaller function space; and the number of bedrooms being reduced from 47 to 41.

The report said the more recent plans had been recommended for approval, saying they would bring numerous benefits to the south Birmingham suburb.

“Most significantly, the provision of hotel accommodation in proximity of the Moseley train station under construction would have a positive impact on the visitor economy,” it said.

“The proposed hotel would improve the viability of The Village Inn, helping to secure the long-term use of this non-designated heritage asset and prevent its disuse.”

“Other immediate benefits would include the jobs provided throughout the construction phase of development and the hospitality jobs during the hotel’s operation,” it added.

But the report acknowledged “some less than substantial harm” to the Conservation Area had been identified.

“These tangible public benefits are considered to significantly outweigh this minor harm,” it concluded however.

“Other concerns raised […] can be dealt with by planning condition without affecting the planning balance.”

Addressing particular issues, the report said the previous application was refused on the basis that the “size, scale and massing of the proposed building would have […] dominated the setting of the Village Inn building”.

“However, the current proposal is significantly different from the refused scheme,” it noted. “It is considered that these issues have been sufficiently mitigated to the extent that they are outweighed by the public benefits of the development.”

The report also said: “It is not considered that the proposal would contribute to any local parking issues.”

The Moseley hotel plans will be considered by council planners at a meeting on Thursday, October 23.