See where a new 100-room Travelodge could be built in Ipswich

Travelodge is planning to build its second hotel in Ipswich.

The firm, which opened a hotel in Duke Street near the Waterfront five years ago, has submitted a proposal to build a 100-room hotel in Ranelagh Road, near the Princes Street junction and Ipswich railway station.

The hotel would be built at Pooleys Yard in Ranelagh Road, on a site which is currently a public car park. It would include parking for at least 45 cars, a restaurant and an area of “landscaping”.

Permission, which was originally granted for a 106-bed hotel at the site in December 2012, lapsed in December 2015. The site owners have now submitted a revised application and Travelodge has been chosen as the identified operator.

Tony O’Brien, UK Development Director at Travelodge, said: “Our existing hotel on Duke Street has performed strongly since it opened five years ago, so we are delighted that such a superb location opposite the train station has become available.

“The principle of a hotel use on this site has been confirmed by the previous 2012 planning consent and the revised application proposes a design and layout more suited for a Travelodge hotel.

“The site is very close to the central office district and an easy walking distance to Ipswich Football Club at Portman Road, the Cardinal Park Leisure Complex and all of the town centre shops, bars and restaurants.

“Being directly opposite the train station and also having an excellent on-site car parking provision, this will be a superb location for business and leisure customers visiting Ipswich and, subject to planning permission being granted, Travelodge is looking forward to making another significant investment into the town.”

An Ipswich Borough Council planning and economic statement document states: “The Local Plan, which was adopted in February 2017 pinpoints the Ranelagh Road area as an important regeneration focus for Ipswich and makes clear that mixed use development, including hotels are appropriate in the general central-western riverside areas.”

A planning date has not yet been set.