BRITAIN’S biggest hotel chain has unveiled plans for an 84-bed complex in a town suffering from a “woeful” lack of tourist accommodation.

Premier Inn has submitted proposals to transform part of a Ringwood business park by building a four-storey hotel with more than 100 parking spaces.

Documents submitted to New Forest District Council say the proposed development would give the town a major economic boost.

Premier Inn is refusing to reveal the cost of the scheme or the number of people it would employ but similar schemes have cost millions of pounds.

The application will be discussed by members of Ringwood Town Council on September 1

The town mayor, Cllr Tim Ward, said: “We haven’t had a chance to discuss it yet but in my opinion we could do with a new hotel.

“I know that people have struggled to find accommodation in busy periods and have had to go further afield.

“I’ve stayed in Premier Inns and I’m quite happy with them. I think this would be a boost to the town business wise and tourist wise.”

Fellow town councillor Phil Day expressed concerns about the height, saying it would be one storey taller than other buildings on the site.

But a planning and design statement says: “The proposals will provide high quality hotel accommodation within a highly sustainable location adjoining Ringwood town centre, where hotel and visitor accommodation is woefully provided for.”

Ringwood is among the largest settlements in the Forest and also spans the A31 - one of the busiest routes to destinations in the West Country.

But the town is off the main tourist trail and Premier Inn says guest accommodation in the area is “extremely limited”.

The award-winning chain already has more than 740 sites and 60,000 rooms across the UK.

If the Ringwood scheme goes ahead the hotel will be built on vacant land at the Forest Gate Business Park, formerly the home of Wellworthy Engineering.

The design and access statement says: “Hotels on business parks are a valuable asset for both the business park and the wider locality.”

The application will be decided by the district council.