Silverstone gets extra hotel bedrooms – Walsingham Planning win an appeal to secure “out of town” development

Walsingham Planning act for Whitbread Group Plc on many extensions and new build Premier Inn projects.  This included the Silverstone Premier Inn which enjoys very high levels of occupancy due to its proximity to the motor racing circuit, as well as serving other visitors to the area.

Walsingham Planning had, in fact, helped with the original hotel block when Scottish & Newcastle owned the site prior to Premier Inn taking over the hotel.

A 20 bedroom extension was proposed to the existing 42 bedrooms. The site is in open countryside between Silverstone and the nearby town of Brackley.

The extension was refused permission due to the rural location, impact on the appearance of the area and location outside of a town centre.

Walsingham Planning recommended that an appeal stood a good chance of success and that such an important test case should be dealt with by Public Inquiry. Walsingham Planning appointed a respected barrister with whom we have worked on several occasions to lead the inquiry team.

Working closely with Premier Inn, Walsingham Planning prepared evidence for the Public Inquiry to show that there was a need for additional bedrooms in the area, there were no suitable town centre locations available, that the scheme would have no adverse impact in the area and that close ties to the Silverstone circuit justified the location.

The Public Inquiry appeal lasted 1½ days and the Inspector supported the case put forward by Walsingham Planning and our appointed barrister.  The extension is now built and operational.

The extended hotel suffered an arson attack in 2010, happily there were no casualties but the building was severely damaged. Walsingham Planning submitted the application needed for the rebuild in double quick time and the Council were very helpful in expediting the matter so that the hotel could be reopened in full in the minimum timescale.