Hotel set to win approval

Al fresco dining bid

The green light is set to be given to The Avonbridge Hotel to build a balcony for al fresco dining.

South Lanarkshire Council received six letters of objection to the plan.

However a report that went before the Hamilton Area Committee yesterday (Wednesday, November 22) recommended that planning permission be granted, subject to conditions.

Planners told councillors: “The concerns raised, either individually or collectively, are not of sufficient weight or merit from a planning perspective that could justify the refusal of consent.”

The Hamilton hotel, on Carlisle Road, plan to change the use of car parking/open space to accommodate a balcony extension for al fresco dining. It will be 5.2 metres wide and 15.5 metres in depth and will be situated at the side of the hotel that faces Castlehill Crescent. Providing 40 covers, it will have a glass balustrade, non-slip decking and a steel structural frame.

It was stated that the balcony will not be used after 9pm.

However six letters of objection were received. One feared the outside dining area would create too much noise and will turn into a smoking area.

Another felt that it would effectively turn into a beer garden and smoking area.

And another objection included a concern about loss of privacy to neighbouring properties.

Concerns were raised for parking in the area, with one resident stating that the loss of parking would add to the number of patrons already using private residential spaces.