A Newcastle Quayside office scheme is poised to be transformed into a new luxury waterfront hotel.
Dakota Hotels is proposing to convert the empty St Ann’s Wharf at 112 Quayside into a boutique-style 115 bedroomed hotel, complete with a ground floor bar and grill area overlooking the riverside promenade. The company’s plans are outlined in a public consultation, launched this week by planning specialist Lichfields.
The UK hotel chain currently has five hotels, based in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Motherwell, Leeds and Manchester, welcoming celebrity guests including actors Hugh Jackman, Glenn Close and Arnold Schwarzenegger, singers Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Stereophonics and The Stone Roses. The office at St Ann’s Wharf previously had a number of tenants, including Womble Bond Dickinson which had been based on the Quayside since 1998 until relocating more than 400 staff into the new Spark building at Newcastle Helix.
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Dakota Hotels is now proposing to make some minor alterations to the building’s facade fronting the Quayside, as well as a ground floor extension to cater for a new entrance lobby. The existing courtyard at the front of the property will be reconfigured to provide a vehicle drop off area, while first floor level bedroom terraces and new balconies at second floor level have also been put forward.
The plans will retain most of the building’s current features and details to complement the architectural heritage, while the new-look entrance lobby, reception and ground floor bar areas will be designed to fit in with the Dakota brand-style. PV solar panels are planned for the roof to provide a low-cost sustainable energy source.
If the project gets the green light from the city council later this year, dozens of full time jobs in the hospitality sector and wider regional supply chain could be created when the hotel, which will cater for approximately 65,000 visitor nights per year, eventually opens. Lichfields is seeking the views of local people and stakeholders on the plans via a digital consultation, which can be viewed on the website dakotanewcastle.com until June 12.
The consultation site highlights the proposed hotel’s proximity to the developments unfolding across the river, saying: “With the imminent development of a new major conference centre and indoor events arena at Gateshead Quays, the redevelopment of St. Ann’s Wharf represents a significant opportunity to drive forward the continued regeneration of the Quayside and help accommodate increasing demand for high-quality, visitor accommodation.”
Alex Kennedy, senior planner at the Lichfields Newcastle office, said the hotel would generate a £1.5m local economic uplift, adding: “This is another major regeneration project that represents a significant contribution to the vitality and vibrancy of an important economic sector. Local residents, businesses and stakeholders are being consulted to showcase the many opportunities and benefits the investment will bring to Newcastle and the wider region.”
A formal planning application is expected to be submitted to Newcastle City Council this summer.
A spokesperson for Dakota Hotels added: “This is a prestigious project that will create jobs, prosperity and deliver a big boost to an important city centre location. We are keen to hear the views of as many people as possible, which will be considered before our plans are finalised and submitted to the local planning authority.”
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