Green light for £7m hotel add-on to shopping entre

Plans for a £7m four-star hotel in Southport have been given the go-ahead by Sefton Council.

The facility will add to the Marble Place shopping centre will feature 96 bedrooms, a lobby area, restaurant and kitchen as well as ancillary accommodation.

Humber Investments, the company which also owns the shopping centre, is funding the development.

Fletcher Rae, Manchester-based architectural firm, designed the scheme, as well as prepared the planning application. Its team will now drive the plans forward.

Andrew Rae, co-founder of Fletcher Rae, said: “The proposed development at Marble Place has been carefully considered, so that when work starts, the shopping centre can remain open for business throughout the entire building works to ensure continuity of trading and safeguard the public.

“Therefore, work on site will be varied and is expected to last between 15-18 months. The hotel is being built onto the east side of Marble Place that’s currently spread between Tulketh Street and Chapel Street. The main entrance, on Tulketh Street and to the right of Regis, will be reconstructed and accessible by both shopping patrons and hotel guests.”

In addition, further plans to revive Marble Place, originally built in 1992, involve remodelling part of the shopping centre’s roof, as well as constructing and reinstating a section of retail units along Tulketh Street. 

In designing the scheme, Fletcher-Rae commented that, a number of practical and aesthetic factors were inspired by the surrounding areas.

Rae said: “To fall in line with the structures on Tulketh Street and Eastbank Street, a dark multi-tone brickwork is being introduced.

“This partnered with dark window frames and a sleek curtain wall system creates a strong, high-quality monolithic form. Areas, within the facade, will be highlighted with a contrasting buff brick. Overall, we’re aiming to improve the prominence of the existing shopping centre, without appearing overly conspicuous.”

If all goes according to plan, construction on the hotel could be complete as soon as summer 2018.