The major chain announced it had eyed up part of the former Crane Fruehauf factory site off Cromer Road in North Walsham for a new 81-bed hotel last month.

If approved it would be North Walsham's first branded hotel, and would sit next to Waitrose, MKM Builders Merchants and Tom Moore House.

Now in the firm's bid for planning permission from North Norfolk District Council, new details have emerged about what the hotel will have to offer.

A major hotel brand is planning on building a new hotel in North Walsham (Image: Whitbread PLC)

In a statement it said the proposed development is expected to accommodate around 36,800 overnight visitors annually, on the basis of an estimated occupancy rate of 83pc for the hotel.

And based on these forecast visitor numbers, it has said that guests could be expected to spend up to £3.5m per year, with £1.8m estimated to be put into the town's local economy annually.

This is estimated on research which shows that Premier Inn guests spend an average of £143 per room per night, with £71 typically spent within a two-mile radius of the hotel.

The development would include Premier Inn’s latest room design, a guest lounge, 80 parking spaces and landscaping.

Crane Fruehauf's factory in North Walsham, dated 15th November 1991 (Image: Archive)

Whitbread PLC, which owns Premier Inn, expects the hotel to create around 20 to 22 permanent hospitality jobs.

The site was previously home to the former Crane Fruehauf factory which had manufactured trailers and containers and was a key employer in the area.

It had ceased its operations in 1999 and was subsequently demolished.

While some of the land has been redeveloped with new stores and offices, the application site earmarked for the hotel has been vacant for 26 years.

The planning statement said: "The proposal will make efficient use of the previously-developed land, and will bring it back into active use, delivering new visitor accommodation and new jobs."

To view or comment on the plans, search PF/26/0451 on the NNDC planning portal.

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