Premier Inn has announced plans to develop a new 108-bedroom hotel in Hunstanton, marking the brand’s first location on the North Norfolk coast.

The multi-million-pound development, backed by parent company Whitbread, is planned for Southend Road, subject to planning approval. The company is currently in pre-application discussions with the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and expects to submit a planning application this autumn.

If approved, the hotel will feature Premier Inn’s latest room formats, including its enhanced Premier Plus offering, alongside an on-site restaurant and dedicated guest parking. It would also become the first Premier Inn to open in Norfolk since the Great Yarmouth Seafront hotel opened in 2019.

The investment forms part of Whitbread’s wider expansion strategy, with the company continuing to target locations that lack branded hotel accommodation but benefit from strong tourism and business demand. Alongside its Hunstanton proposals, Whitbread recently secured planning permission to redevelop its Norwich Nelson hotel and is continuing to search for additional sites across Norfolk.

Whitbread said the project is expected to generate significant economic benefits for the local area through employment and increased year-round visitor spending, supporting businesses including cafés, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions.

The proposed development also aligns with the Borough Council’s draft masterplan for Hunstanton, which identifies expanding and diversifying the town’s visitor accommodation as a key objective for supporting the local tourism economy. Whitbread also confirmed that it has no agreements with government departments to accommodate asylum seekers at any of its Premier Inn or hub by Premier Inn hotels in the UK and Ireland.

Paul Smith, acquisitions manager at Whitbread, said: “Hunstanton is one of the UK’s best-known seaside destinations and a place we’ve wanted to bring Premier Inn to for some time. It attracts visitors from across the East of England and beyond, yet it does not currently offer any branded hotel rooms to visitors. We believe a Premier Inn in Hunstanton would be a great addition to the town’s tourism offer, providing visitors with the quality, value and reliability they expect from the UK’s leading hotel brand while helping to support local businesses, jobs and year-round economic activity.

“The Southend Road site presents an excellent opportunity to bring Whitbread’s significant, multi-million-pound investment into the town and create new accommodation that can support both leisure visitors and those travelling to the area for work. We are looking forward to continuing our discussions with the Council and local stakeholders as we develop our plans.”

Simon Ring, deputy council leader and cabinet member for business, added: “This is huge news for Hunstanton, the culmination of years of discussions between the council and Premier Inn and the agreements are finally in place, subject to formal planning consent.

“The exciting opportunity we’ve unlocked for Hunstanton is a major investment in the year-round local visitor economy and jobs, that will complement very well the existing offer in Hunstanton and our emerging masterplan vision that’s currently out to consultation with the community. Through increasing overnight visitor stays and bed spaces, surrounding cafes, restaurants, shops and tourist attractions will benefit from increased footfall and spend.”