Plans for luxury four-star riverside hotel in Surrey collapse
Plans for a luxury four-star riverside hotel in Surrey have sunk after the council said “it is no longer practical”.
Spelthorne Borough Council had been working with Arora Group to agree plans to regenerate the land under Bridge Street car park in Staines, including developing a fancy four-star hotel by the River Thames.
The council has now said it wants to terminate the lease to the site, subject to approval at a full council meeting in October.
Meanwhile, the land will remain as a public car park.
Under the original arrangement in February, Arora agreed to lease the site in the hopes to develop the car park and neighbouring Hanover House.
The hotel group, worth £2.5bn, has been working on the scheme since at least 2020.
But the council has now said the project is “no longer practical” in light of changing logistical priorities and upcoming local government reorganisation.
Cllr Joanne Sexton, leader of the council, said: “While this was a difficult decision, it reflects our responsibility to adapt to new priorities and the reorganisation of local government means we must reassess what is right for Staines-upon-Thames.”
She said: “We remain committed to creating a vibrant future for the town and will work closely with the community as we plan the next steps for this important site.”
Opponents to the riverside hotel scheme have celebrated the decision.
“The collapse of the agreement hopefully highlights a growing awareness of the significance of the flood risk issue in Staines and the difficulty in overcoming it”, said a spokesperson for the Riverside Residents (Staines) Coalition.
Before the lease agreement was signed, the council had withdrawn the site for “residential and hotel purposes” from its Local Plan because of flood risk at the insistence of the Environment Agency.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has also previously reported the EA’s “significant flood risk” warnings of building a multi-storey waterfront development.
The council has not commented on any flooding considerations but said it will review future options for the site for the long-term vision of Staines.
The Arora Group has been contacted for comment.