A four-storey budget hotel could replace one of the Maidstone council offices now empty after a move to new premises.

Accor Hotels has submitted a planning application for a 96-bed hotel to replace the council’s Victorian two-storey terrace house at 22 Tonbridge Road, just up from Maidstone West Station.

The proposal allows for just 44 parking spaces, 17 fewer than currently available on the site, supplemented by three disabled bays and 14 cycle bays.

The scheme includes a bar and restaurant and the applicants predict 15 full-time and eight part-time jobs will be created.

Maidstone council would not disclose how much they expected to obtain from the sale of the site, if planning permission is granted.