A MAJOR hotel chain is planning to move into the heart of Barrow town centre and create new jobs.

Plans to demolish the former police station and build a 127-bedroom Holiday Inn Express and restaurant have been submitted to Barrow Borough Council.

In a report for town planners, Franklin Ellis Architects says development of the site, on the corner of Market Street and Duke Street, would be a "key regeneration" project, transforming a vacant building, creating new jobs and meeting the need for business and leisure accommodation.

The proposal is for a four-storey building with hotel accommodation, a ground floor restaurant and a car park. The site is next to the Hotel Majestic and across from Barrow Town Hall.

The proposal includes an interim phase for the completion of 111 bedrooms.

The design statement says the council and the applicants have discussed the viability of converting all, or part, of the existing police station as an alternative to demolition. But it was determined that the building was inappropriate for a hotel conversion.

Franklin Ellis Architects says: "The proposal will bring a vacant site back into economic use. The scheme will provide jobs for the local community, both during and post construction.

"The proposal will offer a long term future for a key, prominent town centre site through the development of new hotel and restaurant accommodation.

"The development forms a key part of the regeneration of Barrow town centre and could provide a landmark building in a key location.

"The development will create new jobs and will support commercial leisure facilities in Barrow. A need has been identified for additional hotel rooms and this development seeks to address that."

The report says it has been stated that "adequate hotel space of a good standard for business and tourist use is seen as important for the prosperity of the town".

Franklin Ellis Architects says: "The hotel accommodation will aid in increasing the range and type of visitor and business accommodation in the borough. In addition it will form a key part of the infrastructure required to meet the needs of visitors."

The former police station was put on the market in 2015 for a figure believed to be in the region of £850,000.

The former police station closed when its £8m replacement, in Andrews Way, opened.

Councillor Dave Pidduck, leader of Barrow Borough Council, said: "Companies showing an interest in Barrow is a very good thing for the town. We need jobs and the prosperity that comes with those jobs.

"The developments at BAE Systems and the other projects around us will bring once-in-a-lifetime opportunities."

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