Sainsbury’s plans store at controversial Great Dover Street hotel

Last year Southwark councillors granted retrospective consent for the 52-bedroom hotel known as Accommodation London Bridge which had opened without permission in a former office building.

The site has a complicated planning history including enforcement action by Southwark Council and the hotel had been vociferously opposed by local residents.

As part of the scheme approved by councillors in April last year, the entrance of the hotel was relocated from Spurgeon Street to Great Dover Street.

Now the hotel's owners Europa Gold have submitted a joint planning application with Sainsbury's Supermarkets to turn most of the building's ground floor into a convenience food store.

The Great Dover Street site is less than 350 metres from the proposed Sainsbury's Local store on Long Lane and 630 metres from the existing Borough High Street branch.

Sainsbury's says that the proposed store will be open daily 7am-11pm. A new shopfront would be created on Great Dover Street including a cash machine.

• Planning application 14/AP/0511 and advertisement consent application 14/AP/0512