Wetherspoon has submitted its plans for a 22-bedroom hotel as part of a £2.3million investment in Huntingdon.

It wants to redevelop the former post office, sorting office and The George Hall just off the ring road in George Street to make way for the hotel, alongside a pub.

The company has two separate planning applications lodged with Huntingdonshire District Council - one for the pub and one for the hotel. The hotel would be located on the site of the former sorting office and it would be standalone close to the pub, but not directly above the pub itself. The pub could serve up to 631 people, and it is expected to create about 40 jobs.

The application also proposes a new extension and a ‘link’ building betwen the George Hall and the old Post Office plus two new beer gardens. A long bar would be within the George Hall whilst the new ‘link’ building and old Post Office would be used for customer seating. Toilets are to be located on the first floor of the old Post Office.

Meanwhile, the 22-bedroom hotel would include a fully disabled accessible room. In addition, it would have 21 double bedrooms including eight linked rooms for families and a small reception. It intends to apply to open 24 hours a day.

The application site is within a Grade II-listed building and within the Huntingdon Town Conservation Area. In the planning documents, the company says it has put together a scheme which is respectful to the heritage and the special character of the building.

It states that it has undertaken many refurbishments to listed and historically important buildings and intends to carry out work which is sympathetic to the heritage, while allowing it to run a modern business.

The intentions for the appearance of the building are for it to consist of a mixture of timber board, rendered and brickwork panels to give a contrast to the listed building.

As well as revitalising the existing building, it wants to fully landscape the remainder of the site to provide a small courtyard area to either side to create a barrier of soft landscaping to adjacent properties.

It adds that its initial contact with the planning department indicates that the proposal is thought to be a suitable use of the site.

Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: “The company believes that a hotel would be a great asset to the pub and the town itself.

“Wetherspoon has more than 30 hotels across the UK and it is keen to add to that number with one in Huntingdon.”