A BIG hotel development could be put on hold.
The company behind the Travelodge chain want to revamp the Clarence Hotel in Llandudno but Conwy Council planners fear the scale of the development will have too big an impact on the surrounding area.
Their main concern surrounds the “abrupt transition” of a five-floor extension behind the existing three-floor terraced hotel. They also say the new design does not take full advantage of the building’s cast iron veranda.
Plans for the hotel include the demolition of the outbuilding and other structures at the back of the hotel to make way for two extensions.
These would include a retail unit on the ground floor, with the upper floors would provide additional hotel bedrooms, increasing the number from 77 to 83.
The second extension would contain a kitchen and emergency exits from the upper floors.
The remaining ground floor would be split to provide a small hotel lobby, a restaurant and a retail unit, with the veranda refurbished into three small gables.
The application goes before Conwy County Borough Council’s planning commitee today (Wednesday), and the committee is being recommended to refuse planning permission unless the concerns are addressed.
But Cllr Brian Bertola feared the development could be shelved if they stalled for too long.
He said: “The classic example of what happens if you wait too long would be the Castle Hotel at the other end of town, which is now an absolute eyesore.”
Meanwhile, supermarket group Sainsbury’s has successfully lodged an application with the council to extend the licence at the former Woolworth’s store, while the authority awaits a change-of-use application from coffee shop chain Cafe Nero for the former Burtons.