A SOUTHAMPTON office block could be demolished to make way for a new five-storey budget hotel should plans be approved by civic chiefs.

An application has been submitted to Southampton City Council detailing plans to demolish to current Allport office block in Northam and erect a hotel along with two units for commercial use.

Allport House is located on Princes Street and is currently used as offices, but developers want to demolish the building and erect a brick hotel.

The hotel, which could have 56 rooms, is seen as a budget ‘capsule-style’ whereby compact modern rooms are expected to appeal to customers travelling on a "tight budget", the application states.

The hotel will be "suited to the area" and is anticipated to cater for those travelling for short business trips or attending music venues where a larger room is not required.

The plans say: "This type of budget hotel is common place on the edges of Cities across the UK and helps to bolster local services and industry.

"It should be noted all rooms are over 50 per cent larger than ‘Zip Hotel’ by Premier Inn and all proposed rooms have large windows, which is often not the case with other hotels.

"The additional commercial units front Princes Street and will provide further active frontage on this corner site."

The area is mixed in use, with commercial buildings on the north and east side of the road, with residential on the south and west side.

The design utilises a slightly smaller footprint than the existing building and red brick has been chosen to construct the hotel.

The site currently has nine car parking spaces but the developer plans to reduce this to just two parking spaces.

They also details plans to add 17 cycle spaces for bicycles. Internal space will provide staff secure covered cycle storage.

Given the nature of the building, it is anticipated most users will arrive on foot or by public transport, the plans say.

A decision on the hotel is yet to be made by Southampton City Council.