WORK on a new 120-bedroom Holiday Inn Express hotel in Bridgwater will get underway early next year.

The new hotel, which is being developed by Zeal Hotel and Sandgate Properties Consortium, will be based at the Regional Rural Business Centre on Market Way.

Detailed planning permission was awarded in December 2015 and the UK Government agreed to proceed with EDF’s proposals in September 2016.

Construction is now planned to commence early in 2017 with the hotel opening in Spring 2018.

The hotel will be designed in line the new Holiday Inn Express Generation 4 specifications and in addition to the 120 bedrooms, the hotel will provide a spacious bar/restaurant and lounge area and three separate meeting rooms, as well as car parking for 60 vehicles

Tim Wheeldon, managing director of Zeal Hotels said: “Bridgwater is quickly becoming established as a major gateway to the South West and there is a limited supply of quality branded hotel accommodation within the immediate area.

"This location will not only benefit from the increasing transient M5 motorway traffic but more importantly it will service the increased demand from businesses in the area”.

“The development of the Hinckley Point C nuclear power station is also a factor and it is likely this will also provide demand for quality hotel accommodation at a reasonable price”.

“Wherever possible we will be employing local people during the construction and operation phases of the project and we are in the process of forging a good relationship with Bridgwater

College in the hope that we can provide a “live” development project which will assist students studying for construction and hotel & catering related qualifications.”

Stephen Carlin CEO of the Sandgate Group, said; “We are pleased to be entering this joint venture with Zeal Hotels to bring a leading hotel brand to the area.”