New owners buy city centre site due to become hotel

Plans to turn a former department store and Tesco site into a 91-bed hotel have been thrown out, with proposals being made to turn it into a retail and food space with apartments instead.

The building on Guildhall Hill in Norwich city centre has stood empty since May 2022, with planning permission secured a year earlier to turn it into a hotel - possibly a Travelodge.

However, the site has since been acquired by Nottingham-based developer ALB Group, with new plans for the site being created.

In a statement, the company said: "Plans are now being drawn up to establish the best way to bring the 42,987 sq ft building back to life."

The building, which stretches from Guildhall Hill to Pottergate, was once the Chamberlin & Sons department store and was rebuilt after a fire in 1898.

It was most recently the site of a Tesco Metro.

Norwich property agents Ward Hill Walker previously said discussions with Travelodge were progressing.

However, a spokesperson for the hotel chain said it was "not a project we are considering at this time".

Arran Bailey, managing director at ALB Group, said: "Our vision for this building's refurbishment will ensure the site is returned to usable space that will once again benefit the community, bring jobs to the area, and reinvigorate this busy thoroughfare.

"This building is in a prime position and deserves to be reinvigorated and renovated ready for the next chapter in its history."

John Morgan, director at Leonard Design architects, said the plan was for the ground floor of the building to be used for retail, food and beverage, whereas the upper floors would be converted into apartments.

He said: "There's a real buzz about the place. The footfall is good compared to other towns and city centres up and down the country. Norwich feels very, very strong at the moment."

Once planning permission has been granted, he said developers hoped to be on site as soon as possible.

Bailey said the work could take 18 months to complete.

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