One of the most popular chains in the world has been granted permission to build a budget hotel in a fast-growing Aberdeenshire town.
The 173-bedroom Hampton by Hilton will be built in Westhill, on the site of a former blockworks building.
The three-star hotel in the Elrick area of the town will include a fitness suite, restaurant and nearly 200 car parking spaces.
Councillors unanimously backed the proposals, put forward by applicants Findlay Glover and Macaulay Ltd and developers Bricks Capital Ltd, at yesterday’s Garioch area committee meeting in Inverurie.
Senior council planner, Bruce Strachan, told members the building would “promote tourism trips and business tourism for the benefit of the region”.
However, concerns were raised that the development could lead to traffic issues on busy Straik Road.
East Garioch councillor Martin Ford said: “A hotel is a significant traffic generator, the number of spaces in the proposed car park tells you that.”
But Aberdeenshire Council’s transport manager Peter MacCallum assured members a survey had been done and that he was satisfied the hotel would not end up “creating a problem” for the local traffic network.
After the meeting, John Glover, of Findlay Glover and Macaulay Ltd, said the development was “ideally suited” to the area and would “deliver a modern and attractive hotel that will benefit Elrick and Westhill as a whole”.
He added: “We had undertaken a significant amount of pre-application consultation with the public and the general view was that residents wanted to see this site redeveloped and the previous industrial use of the former blockworks removed from the area.
“The redevelopment of the site can now go ahead with the planning approval granted.
“There will be a large landscaped public open space to the front of the hotel which will be a welcome change from the old blockworks’ shed.”
Managing director of Bricks Capital Ltd, Jason Taylor, said the decision was a “vote of confidence” in the Aberdeenshire economy, which has suffered with the recent oil and gas sector downturn.
He added: “We are delighted to be in a position to bring the Hampton by Hilton brand to Westhill.”