BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge has appealed against a decision to veto plans for an 83-room hotel in Oxford.

Plans for a three-storey hotel on the former UK Bathroom Warehouse site off Abingdon Road, South Oxford, were refused planning permission in April by the west area planning committee.

Their first plan, for a four-storey building, was refused permission in July last year because it was too large. City councillors ruled in April that the planned 45 parking spaces would not be enough, and rejected the chain’s claims that customers could use the nearby Redbridge park-and-ride.

The developer argued that many of its customers would arrive by train, and that parking at the Redbridge park-and-ride could be used for overflow parking.

Now an appeal has been lodged with the Planning Inspectorate.

ROX (Rescue Oxford) traders’ spokesman Graham Jones said: “It is sad they (Travelodge) have not thought it through because we do need more budget accommodation in Oxford.

“They need to increase the parking. I know there is a park-and-ride there, but it is still not adequate.”