by Graham Tutthillgtutthill@thekmgroup.co.uk

Town councillors are objecting strongly to plans to build a hotel, restaurants, bars and a mast as part of the Dover Town Investment Zone development at Woolcomber Street.

The application, due to be discussed by district councillors at their meeting on Thursday, covers part of the Russell Street car park, behind the Townwall Street service station, and land fronting Woolcomber Street and the vacant corner with Townwall Street.

Councillors are being told that the scheme has been submitted ahead of the rest of the DTIZ proposals because a tenant is ready to run the four-storey hotel, which will have 108 bedrooms.

There will be a restaurant and bars on the ground floor.

The 35-metre high mast, which will accommodate the telecommunicatrions equipment currently on the top of Burlington House, will also have an LED display screen - measuring 2.7 by 10 metres - which will be used for commercial purposes as well as local tourist information.

But the scheme has been slammed by Dover town councillors who say the design is not in keeping with the area and is not distinctive for the town. They particularly object to the LED screen.

The district council has received eight letters of objection which also oppose the mast and screen, claiming it could distract drivers, and saying the hotel design is "poor" and does not have the necessary character to appear as a landmark structure in the regeneration of Dover.

Members of the planning committee are being told that from street level, the mast should have a "clean, sharp finish" that would look like render. It is not felt that the height of the mast would appear unduly prominent.