News
St Helen's Centre, West Coates -- Update
Friday, 1 August 2008
Further to the May 2008 News item, the St Helen's Centre has been bought by Tommy Miah, proprietor of the adjacent Raj Hotel. He plans to use it as an extension to the Raj Hotel. As the Council will not be moving out until December 2008 or January 2009, the new Hotel extension should be operating at the earliest by June 2009. It is intended that a planning application be made in the next few weeks. This will retain the main house and the new west extension, with the creation internally of about 40 bedrooms in each, the erection of a single storey ground floor level glass link corridor between the two buildings, and the retention of all the trees, but blitzing the shrubbery on the main road under the trees so as to give a view of the landscaped gardens, probably with an Indian theme as at the Raj. Car parking will be as at present at St Helens, but windows will be reformed on the front and back of the west extension so as to be suitable for bedrooms. The present vehicle and pedestrian entrances will be retained. There will be a resident's licence only for a small bar, dining facilities for breakfast only and no functions suite, etc. The present small size of kitchen is being retained. No new building is proposed on or in the grounds.
The proprietor, Tommy Miah, has promised to have a complete set of the proposed plans available for view in the Raj Hotel for local viewing to save neighbours either trying to view them on line or viewing them at the Planning Dept in the City.