Under the proposals the nine storey Hercules House building will be transformed into a 200,000 square feet hotel with 438 bedrooms to be operated by Park Plaza. PPHE said in its planning statement that it was no longer considered viable to keep the building in use as an office and that a hotel would contribute to the mix of uses within the area and create local employment opportunities.
"The proposed Hercules House scheme will deliver an individual contemporary design that will act as a key catalyst for the regeneration of the immediate area. Hercules House will have its own distinctive character and feel, while being recognisable as a Park Plaza Hotel it will have an identity and feel that relates, integrates and invigorates the local area," PPHE said in its design and access statement.
The hotel group purchased the building earlier this year. It is vacant following DCLG's termination of its lease which took effect last month.
