THE design of the hotel planned for Quay Point, Magor looks like Cardiff Prison, said a leading member of the county planning committee.

Cllr Mike Smith said the design was bland, and the Encore hotels already built in Swansea Bay, West London and York were much better designed. He added: "The design does not excite you, it is simply a block building with windows in it of similar elevations to Cardiff Prison.

"In a way it is institutional, at least that is the impression it gives me. I find it subdued and bland."

Cllr Ashley Thomas agreed. "It looks a bit grim and his analogy with a prison block is not far wrong. The problem is that it has a cream and ochre and puce finish, which looks like hospital beige and is really depressing."

The local member, Cllr Olive Evans said she felt the design of the four-storey hotel would do nothing to enhance the area.

The other local member Cllr John Major added: "It looks like the blocks of flats the Russians would put up for their workers, it is free of architectural embellishment."

Cllr Ron Stewart questioned why a hotel and a pub were needed on that site at all.

George Ashworth, Monmouthshire's head of planning pointed out that the principle of development had been established when the committee gave outline permission, the only thing they were deciding was the design.

Cllr Douglas Edwards likened the hotel's design to the warehouses which litter the M4 corridor and said it was time the planning committee raised standards of such developments. He suggested deferring their decision a second time to negotiate a better design and this was agreed. Cllr Smith pointed out that the committee had done just that with the Nailer's Lane development in Monmouth, until they got the design they wanted. He said the architect had met the committee, asked them what they wanted, and included their ideas in the finished design.