M6 hotel, business park and petrol station plans approved
A multi-million pound development featuring a 60-bed hotel surrounded by new offices in Stafford has been given the green light today.
The outline plans for land next to Creswell Grove, by Junction 14 of the M6, also include a family pub, warehouses and a nursery.
The proposal has attracted opposition from some quarters but members of Stafford Borough Council's planning committee were recommended to approve it a special planning meeting.
Applicant Strawson Holdings Ltd has also applied for permission for a petrol station, shop and drive-through coffee shop at the site, a few miles outside of Stafford town centre, in separate plans also recommended for approval.
A total of 18 objections have been against the hotel plan by those including Creswell Parish Council and Councillor Raymond Sutherland, for the Seighford and Church Eaton ward.
Concerns
Councillor Sutherland said: “The increase in traffic will have a detrimental effect to local road users and residents who already have to queue for significant lengths of time to exit Creswell Grove.
"There is a potential overspill from Primepoint 14 and Valley Drive of HGVs parking overnight and depositing unmentionable waste at the side of the roads.
"There will be noise and light pollution which naturally goes with a petrol station operation open 24/7."
A total of 23 people also objected to the petrol station plans, as did the parish council.
The proposed floor space for the warehouse space is 6,500sqm, 2,150sqm for the hotel, 1,800sqm for the offices, 650sqm for the pub, 269sqm for the nursery and 172sqm for a community room.
In the other application the petrol filling station building/shop will have 524sqm total floor area and be served by 28 parking spaces. The coffee shop and drive-through will have 204sqm floor area and 49 parking spaces.
In a report to the committee, an officer says: "The proposal is to develop a number of small units which could be occupied individually or amalgamated to make a larger unit if demand was there in the early phase of the development.
“The hotel, pub, and retail uses would provide facilities to support the office uses being utilised by their employees and visitors alike.
"Impacts from traffic have been shown to be mitigated by improvements to mainly pedestrian and cycle access across Creswell Grove."
The finer details will have to be passed in a reserved matters application at a later date.
A similar proposal was approved by the council in 2013 but never brought to fruition.
