Hotel plans for Plymouth Civic Centre fail

Plans by the owner of Plymouth Argyle to turn the city's civic centre into a top hotel have fallen through.

The city council had picked James Brent as the preferred bidder for the listed building. He wants to turn it into a 160 bedroom hotel with restaurants and bars on the top of the 15 storey building.

Negotiations have fallen through and talks will start again with four other parties interested in redeveloping the building which needs around thirty million pounds in repairs. A feasibility study commission by the council and English Heritage suggests the city centre building could also be used as offices or residential accommodation or both.

Staff have already started moving out of the fifty year old building, but the council says they may move back again if no deal can be reached. The council would then have to carry out the structural repairs itself.

There's been no comment from James Brent who runs the Akkeron chain of hotels.