Birmingham Airport hotel plan to cope with soaring passenger numbers

The airport broke the 10 million passenger barrier last year and so far this year has seen the launch of 11 new airlines from the Midlands gateway, including Qatar Airways, CSA, Blue Air, Iberia Express, as well as the introduction of the giant A380 superjumbo by Emirates.

February saw the airport's 12th consecutive month of record numbers flying to and from Birmingham.

Now Castlebridge Hotels (Birmingham), a Jersey-registered company, has submitted plans to Solihull council for a nine-storey, 178-bedroom hotel which would be built on Concorde Road next to the airport's administration offices, Diamond House.

It would be the airport's fifth hotel, sitting on land that is currently vacant having previously been used as a taxi car park.

Warwick architects The Hitchman Stone Partnership have submitted a design statement for the applicant, saying: "Research has shown that there is a great need for additional hotel bedrooms in and around the airport complex.

"The disused taxi parking bay appears to be an ideal place to provide such accommodation.

"The site is highly visible on approach to the airport terminal building and as such would benefit from an attractive branded hotel development to serve the airport and local needs.

"The site is ideally suited for a multi storey building offering public spaces at ground floor level and bedrooms above."

The building height has been restricted to nine storeys because of the need to keep it below the airport's radar system.

The report does not say if any hotel chain is currently linked to the project but: "The hotel will be a branded hotel with parts of the interior design determined by prerequisite, brand recognizable features."

The report adds: "The proposals respond to a demand for a high quality hotel and restaurant facilities that would benefit the airport and would also attract customers from further away. This hotel will provide a new service point on the site and will be a positive addition to the airport's development."

The proposed hotel building is designed to fit in with the existing buildings nearby such as Concorde House and the airport's multi-storey car park. A new access road would provide a drop off point alongside the main entrance. Parking for the hotel will be provided in the airport's multi-storey parking building 1.

The statement says: "The high profile site that sits at the entrance to Birmingham Airport, calls for a suitably impressive building. This is ideally suited to a hotel development.

"The long rectangular shape of the building is suited to the most functional and economic layout for the bedroom floors.

"Vertical circulation areas are then positioned to the front and rear of the building. This gives the opportunity to provide a striking entrance to the building that faces directly onto Airport Way. The ground floor of the hotel is designated as public areas that provide a live frontage to Concorde Road."