Travelodge hotel poised to open by Dudley Archives and Black Country Living Museum

Planners have been urged to approve the 78-bed Travelodge in Tipton Road – within a stone's throw of both Dudley Archive and Local History Centre and the Black Country Living Museum.

But the Friends of Dudley Archives has opposed the plan, chiefly on the grounds it will remove parking from the site, which will soon also be the home of exhibitions from Dudley Museum.

However, the council's planning committee looks likely to give the scheme the green light regardless after recommendations from officers.

The four-storey hotel on the former Royal Brierley Crystal factory site would house 72 car parking spaces, three motorcycle spaces and eight bicycle parking bays, according to planning documents.

The factory was demolished in 2011 and the northern part of the site has been redeveloped for the Dudley Archive and Local History Centre.

Janet Lea, the honorary secretary of the Friends of the Archives, has lodged an objection to the plan.

She highlighted parking concerns as a key concern, saying the land earmarked for the hotel is considered 'an overspill parking area' for the Archives.

Ms Lea added: "The height and design of the proposed Travelodge Hotel is not in keeping with other buildings in the vicinity and the leisure side of the road and would detract from the aesthetic design of the area.

"The proposed housing development on the old hospital site and the increased use of the Dudley Guest Hospital is already making the road extremely busy with frequent traffic hold-ups.

"It is our considered opinion that this land should be designated for parking to accommodate the existing requirements of the area."

A design and access statement submitted as part of the planning application states: "The proposed hotel would bring with it a number of benefits to the local and wider area including employment and increased spending."

It is set to be approved at a meeting next Tuesday.