Plans to demolish a Mid Sussex restaurant and expand hotel approved
Plans to demolish a former Beefeater restaurant and expand a Premier Inn hotel have been approved by Mid Sussex District Council.
The application for the site in Charles Avenue, Burgess Hill, was given the nod by the planning committee on Thursday (January 22).
The new three-storey building will house 64 rooms, taking the total to 122. It will be linked to the old one via a glazed reception area.
A single-storey extension to the back of the new building will contain a restaurant, kitchen, plant room and an entrance for deliveries.
Committee chairman Christopher Phillips (Ind, Copthorne & Worth) said of the development: “Hopefully it might contribute in a modest way to the economy of Burgess Hill, which I think is greatly in need of a little bit of a boost.”
Rodney Jackson (Lib Dem, Hurstpierpoint) added: “On the couple of occasions I’ve used the restaurant, it certainly wasn’t very busy for outside users. By having some extra rooms on the premises it will make it more viable commercially. This is a value improvement on the site.”
The council received no objections to the plans.
A design statement submitted with the application said the extension represented a ‘considered and pragmatic response’ to the growing demand for visitor accommodation in the area.
It added: “By increasing the room count from 60 to 122, this development significantly enhances the hotel’s capacity to serve visitors to the Victoria Business Park and other local attractions.”
To view the application, log on to pa.midsussex.gov.uk and search for DM/24/2530.