Hotel chain target New Road

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New Road could be set for a £10 million development after Premier Inn submitted planning applications to build a hotel and restaurant

Worcestershire's New Road ground could be set for a £10million development after Premier Inn submitted a planning application to build a 120-bedroom hotel and restaurant.

Whitbread - Premier Inn's parent company - is investing £7.5million in the hotel and restaurant.

In addition, Worcestershire are also investing in excess of £2.5million to create new conference and executive facilities at the ground.

A detailed planning application for the hotel and executive suites was submitted to Worcester City Council last month.

Should planning permission be granted by the council, construction is expected to start in September this year.

The development is crucial to Worcestershire's hopes of long-term financial stability.

Chief executive David Leatherdale said: "We have a simple business strategy at Worcestershire CCC which is to make the club's finances more sustainable in the long term and drive on-field success.

"Using our property assets effectively is at the heart of this process.

"The addition of a Premier Inn and new facilities for the club will transform our ground into a 365-day-a-year venue, securing our position as one of only 18 first-class counties."

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