Abingdon Road Travelodge hotel plan rejected (From Bicester Advertiser)

Abingdon Road Travelodge hotel plan rejected

8:12pm Wednesday 11th July 2012 in News

A computer generated image of the proposed Travelodge hotel

PLANS to build a Travelodge hotel in Abingdon Road were this evening unanimously rejected by Oxford councillors.

Members of the city council's west area planning committee agreed with planning officers that the four-storey building would create an "over-dominant" feature close to the Oxford Green Belt.

They also agreed the number of parking spaces to be provided was “inadequate”.

The plan would have seen the former Motorworld building in Abingdon Road demolished and a 83-bedroom hotel and a 43-space car park built.

After the meeting, councillor Elise Benjamin said: “I question the value of a building that looks like every other Travelodge in the country.

“It's not a particularly inspiring development and it's not in the best location."

Thame-based Travelodge had estimated the development could boost the local economy by £850,000 a year.

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Comments(16)

brianbbleys says...
8:37pm Wed 11 Jul 12

never mind the 2000 odd houses they want to build on the green belt @ Grenoble rd

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Dilligaf2010 says...
8:44pm Wed 11 Jul 12

"After the meeting, councillor Elise Benjamin said: “I question the value of a building that looks like every other Travelodge in the country.".......
......meaning? It was going to be an hotel, what's it expected to look like? If somebody wants to build something of a unique "futuristic" design people complain, now they complain because it was going to look normal.
I'm just waiting for one of the universities to put in an application for a 5 storey accommodation block on the same site, wonder if that'll get approved.

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cuckoo says...
9:31pm Wed 11 Jul 12

brianbbleys wrote:
never mind the 2000 odd houses they want to build on the green belt @ Grenoble rd

The decision was taken by the council's west area planning committee this evening.

Chuckle..posibly just a sniff of NIBMYism here! Of course all Travelodges look similar... as do Premier Inns!!
If the predicted £850,000 boost to local economy is accurate I think OCC's (west area) decision needs to be questioned.
As for the green belt issue... "close to"? Are referring to the flood meadows on the opposite side of the Abingdon Rd?
If they feel that the Travelodge "is not a particularly inspiring building".... what if it becomes derilict (just like the former Fox and Hounds pub just a few steps down the Abingdon Road)?? HO HUM!!!

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cuckoo says...
9:41pm Wed 11 Jul 12

By "it" I should have said the current Motor World building!!!

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frewen98 says...
10:24pm Wed 11 Jul 12

when Travelodge appeal the decision I bet the inspector will approve it. more waste of council tax !!

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davyboy says...
6:58am Thu 12 Jul 12

insufficient parking????? excuse me, but there is a 700-800 space PARK & RIDE site there, so that is not a good reason. it will, of course look like any other travelodge, as that is their way of doing things, their 'brand look, if you like. the council really need to look at the wider picture, as there are not enough budget hotels in Oxford, and not everyone can afford £100+ per night. the current site is an eyesore, as is the former pub on abingdon rd. are the council getting bungs from other businesses on abingdon road to stop developments? i suppose Nisa and the guest houses have got together to oppose new shops and hotels. i sincerely hope that travelodge appeal, and get the go ahead to build this, as it is much needed

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WitneyGreen says...
8:25am Thu 12 Jul 12

What a short sighted decision. Oxford's ecenomy is strongly boosted by tourism, but the figures show many of them only come for the day. And who can blame them when city centre hotels like the Randolph are charging £200/night for a dusty boxroom. Travelodge is a good business model, and would be good for Oxford.

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icba1957 says...
9:38am Thu 12 Jul 12

Typical short-sightedness.
How exactly does this new building look any worse than the empty house just behind the proposed site, or the absolute disgrace that is the Fox & Hounds?
As for the lack of parking, most residents would be using the P&R overnight, when it's normally empty, thus providing even more revenue for the City.
I despair, not just of the councillors, who can be voted out, but of the the officers who recommended rejection.

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Sid Hunt says...
12:15pm Thu 12 Jul 12

“councillor Elise Benjamin said: “I question the value of a building that looks like every other Travelodge in the country. It's not a particularly inspiring development and it's not in the best location.""

Where is the 'best location' for a hotel? It's just off the ring-road with regular buses to and from the town centre. I suspect that Travelodge can keep its charges low due to re-using a standard design for its premises thereby minimising building costs. What ridiculous comments for a councillor to make.

If this was an application to build a giant monkey eating a flamingo it would be passed with a vote of hurrahs!

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Andrew:Oxford says...
1:40pm Thu 12 Jul 12

icba1957 wrote:
Typical short-sightedness. How exactly does this new building look any worse than the empty house just behind the proposed site, or the absolute disgrace that is the Fox & Hounds? As for the lack of parking, most residents would be using the P&R overnight, when it's normally empty, thus providing even more revenue for the City. I despair, not just of the councillors, who can be voted out, but of the the officers who recommended rejection.

You missed out the building of great beauty that is "Go Outdoors".

(Fanastic store inside though, always spend a fortune when I go in.)

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Dilligaf2010 says...
2:06pm Thu 12 Jul 12

"If this was an application to build a giant monkey eating a flamingo it would be passed with a vote of hurrahs!".......
......I wonder......got me thinking now ;-)

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oxfordsimon says...
6:17pm Thu 12 Jul 12

The city needs more affordable hotel accommodation - and this is an ideal location. Why do we accept councillors who don't properly represent the city and the various communities? It is far too cosy in the council and they need shaking up.

Perhaps it is time for the civic-minded Oxford residents to band together and stand against political placeholders and bring some real local democracy to the city.

That way we might get proper representation (rather than party posturing) and decent decisions being made about how to improve this important city.

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mandate says...
8:24pm Thu 12 Jul 12

Councillors state that the building would detract from the beauty of the Green Belt area. I believe that statement to be utter nonsense. If the Green Belt there is so precious, why was the Park and Ride given planning permission?

Councillors often reject ideas without taking into account the positive impact that many business ventures would have on the local economy.The decision to reject planning permission for the hotel will mean a loss of valuable revenue, and an opportunity to create new jobs.

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Oflife says...
11:40pm Thu 12 Jul 12

Unbelievable but not a surprise decision by the most business unfriendly council in the UK. No wonder Oxford is looked upon as a hopeless destination for shopping and business. (Just today, I got into a discussion with the staff at a popular clothing store who all agreed with me.) Speaking as an entrepreneur, with NO business focused hotels on the outer areas of Oxford (the inner ones don't have parking and with the exception of the Randolf, are trashy), this would have been an ideal place for our motorist guests to stay. Further, that eyesore just a few blocks away that is the burned out pub is STILL there! What a contrast between Oxford Council (whose primary objective is flooding the city with PCOs and traffic wardens) and London - a very business friendly city. Hence the latter's streets are NOT populated with rude and sometimes dangerous homeless people. That is what left wing thinking does. It takes a lenient attitude to street crime and poo poos industrious job creating endeavors like this! I sense the normal leftist envy at initiative and positive thinking. No wonder nations like Russia are grey and stuck in a depressed repressive eternity.

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bart-on simpson says...
11:08am Fri 13 Jul 12

Don't worry - it's coming to the new Barton development in 2014.

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mattyproper77 says...
6:04pm Sat 14 Jul 12

Oflife wrote:
Unbelievable but not a surprise decision by the most business unfriendly council in the UK. No wonder Oxford is looked upon as a hopeless destination for shopping and business. (Just today, I got into a discussion with the staff at a popular clothing store who all agreed with me.) Speaking as an entrepreneur, with NO business focused hotels on the outer areas of Oxford (the inner ones don't have parking and with the exception of the Randolf, are trashy), this would have been an ideal place for our motorist guests to stay. Further, that eyesore just a few blocks away that is the burned out pub is STILL there! What a contrast between Oxford Council (whose primary objective is flooding the city with PCOs and traffic wardens) and London - a very business friendly city. Hence the latter's streets are NOT populated with rude and sometimes dangerous homeless people. That is what left wing thinking does. It takes a lenient attitude to street crime and poo poos industrious job creating endeavors like this! I sense the normal leftist envy at initiative and positive thinking. No wonder nations like Russia are grey and stuck in a depressed repressive eternity.

I live in East London and I assure you there is extreme poverty, homelessness, and very anti-social people on the streets.

You haven't seen anything if you think E.Oxford can compare with the deregulated, favela like dystopia that exists within 0.5 miles of the Olympic Park and Canary Wharf.

The free market has failed, you cannot respect or eat ££££, you have all the deregulation and abandonment of public services you could possibly wish for...and still it's not enough?

No-one is going to protect you when the real rain comes, remember that. You will stand + fall as a human, equal, survival of the fittest just like you dreamt of.

BTW Oxford performing very well in terms of employment and business start-ups on national scale - http://www.centrefor
cities.org/assets/fi
les/2012/Cities_Outl
ook_2012.pdf

[quote][p][bold]Oflife[/bold] wrote: Unbelievable but not a surprise decision by the most business unfriendly council in the UK. No wonder Oxford is looked upon as a hopeless destination for shopping and business. (Just today, I got into a discussion with the staff at a popular clothing store who all agreed with me.) Speaking as an entrepreneur, with NO business focused hotels on the outer areas of Oxford (the inner ones don't have parking and with the exception of the Randolf, are trashy), this would have been an ideal place for our motorist guests to stay. Further, that eyesore just a few blocks away that is the burned out pub is STILL there! What a contrast between Oxford Council (whose primary objective is flooding the city with PCOs and traffic wardens) and London - a very business friendly city. Hence the latter's streets are NOT populated with rude and sometimes dangerous homeless people. That is what left wing thinking does. It takes a lenient attitude to street crime and poo poos industrious job creating endeavors like this! I sense the normal leftist envy at initiative and positive thinking. No wonder nations like Russia are grey and stuck in a depressed repressive eternity.[/p][/quote]I live in East London and I assure you there is extreme poverty, homelessness, and very anti-social people on the streets. You haven't seen anything if you think E.Oxford can compare with the deregulated, favela like dystopia that exists within 0.5 miles of the Olympic Park and Canary Wharf. The free market has failed, you cannot respect or eat ££££, you have all the deregulation and abandonment of public services you could possibly wish for...and still it's not enough? No-one is going to protect you when the real rain comes, remember that. You will stand + fall as a human, equal, survival of the fittest just like you dreamt of. BTW Oxford performing very well in terms of employment and business start-ups on national scale - http://www.centrefor cities.org/assets/fi les/2012/Cities_Outl ook_2012.pdf mattyproper77

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Abingdon Road Travelodge hotel plan rejected (From Bicester Advertiser)

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