COUNCILLORS will be asked to pass a premises licence for a multi-million pound development in Monmouthshire next week.

The application for the 60-bed Premier Inn on Portal Road in Monmouth includes a proposal to sell alcohol and to be open from Monday to Sunday from 10am until 12.30am.

Monmouthshire council’s planning committee passed the Whitbread PLC scheme in June.

An objection to the proposal was made to the council on the grounds that drinkers in the pub could cause nuisance to residents and that crime and disorder might increase.

It states: “We all know that any notice asking customers to respect the needs of local residents and to leave the premises and area quietly would be ineffective. You cannot expect people, whether it is just a couple or in a group, to walk along in absolute silence, especially if they have had an enjoyable evening.”

Under the application, children under 16 will not be allowed into the hotel after 9pm unless they are dining with an adult, a guest at the hotel or are attending a pre-booked function.

Monmouth Chamber of Trade and Commerce has lobbied for a hotel to be built on the site for nine years and the development is set to create 20 full-time jobs along with another 34 in services.

A decision on the licence will be made at County Hall in Usk by the licensing and regulatory sub-committee next Thursday.