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Hotel scheme that's height of ambition
It is set to be one of the tallest buildings south of London.
With a restaurant at 62m (203ft), its roof at 78m (256ft), and topped by a 23m (75ft) spire, the only south coast structure which would stand taller than the Number One Portsmouth hotel is the Spinnaker Tower, which measures 170m (558ft) from base to tip.
The planned 188-bedroom building, unveiled for the first time by The News on Thursday, would boast a raft of stylish energy-saving measures such as a wind turbine and a twin-skin glass design.
The two glass layers would be separated by several feet, creating a 'thermal envelope' to keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer, and cutting its carbon footprint by 26 per cent.
But the Surrey Street hotel would not just change Portsmouth's skyline – it would fulfil a real need.
A four-star, 150-room hotel was planned for the Northern Quarter, but with serious doubts now looming over the plans, the demand for a hotel remains.
If current demand for hotel space rises at a 'low rate' between now and 2016, the city is expected to need at least 112 new four-star hotel rooms and 54 three-star rooms, according to an in-depth study by Portsmouth City Council.
If growth takes place at a 'high rate', these figures rise to 235 and 130 respectively.
But if a large-scale conference centre were built in the city, demand is predicted to rise to a minimum of 194 four-star bedrooms by 2016 – up to 332 – meaning another two four-star hotels would be needed to cope with the influx of visitors.
Rob Marchant, chairman of the Portsmouth Property Association, said the forecast was good.
He told BusinessWeek: 'My initial reaction is "crikey". On the basis that there seems to be more bad news than good at the moment, this is something of a surprise.
'But then if you stop to consider the mid-to-long-term prospects for Portsmouth, they're bright, so why wouldn't they want to build?
'Also, we've noticed when we're appraising things that build costs have dipped significantly at the moment.'
The plans are expected to come before the council on December 17.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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