Land near a Monmouth Premier Inn could become care home

Land at Portal Road in Monmouth, which had previously been set aside for a hotel, could become a care home.

Monmouthshire council has agreed to expand the range of uses for the land next to the recently constructed Premier Inn hotel on Portal Road.

The land had previously been restricted to hotel and business use, but now it has been expanded to include residential institutions.

The restrictions had been in place since 2008, but the council has struggled to sell the site.

However, a council report says: “Following an extensive period of marketing, the council has received a number of expressions of interest from potential purchasers, primarily with a view to developing a care home or similar use.”

The site is around 1.28 acres and is located at the gateway to Monmouth. 

It is hoped this extension of consented use will help increase bids for the development.

Although the consented use has been expanded, this does not guarantee that planning permission would be granted for future developments.

Any purchaser would have to go through the normal statutory planning process. 

There is also an obligation for any developer to accommodate coach parking space at the site.

The report says: “The coach spaces will improve the provision of long-stay parking and therefore the tourism offering in Monmouth.”

The council plans to evaluate the situation in six to 12 months, to “determine any impact on the level of interest in the site, and whether any acceptable offers have been received”.