BLUE sky thinking is needed says a Petersfield councillor as the search for a town centre hotel site steps up.

Hampshire county councillor Russell Oppenheimer also says radical options could be the answer.

He proposed at the Petersfield Town Development Committee (TDC) meeting on Friday, October 6, that a group meet in private to look at potential hotel sites.

Committee members were given a list of county council-owned land which could be suitable for a hotel.

These include the former Bulmer House site off Ramshill and land at the junction of Tor Way and Love Lane in front of Petersfield Community Centre.

He said: “This could be quite sensitive. We really need to do some blue sky thinking on this, and we might have to consider radical options.”

TDC member and former chairman of the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan steering group Richard Besant said the plan allocated the Festival Hall car park which is owned by East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) as a hotel site. He added that one idea was to have a multi-storey building above the car park, with perhaps another car parking layer and a hotel on the top level.

Cllr Oppenheimer says he has spoken to tourism experts Dan Grindey at EHDC, Joe Williams at the South Downs National Park Authority and Andrew Bateman, of Hampshire County Council (HHC).

He added they supported the idea and had offered to help progress it, especially the national park authority which, he said, is very keen on ‘sustainable’ tourism.

TDC chairman and Petersfield town councillor John Palmer said: “Visitors can come here by train, cycle out into the national park, and then stay at the hotel.”

Despite previous refusals by a national hotel chain to become involved in a similar project, Cllr Oppenheimer insists a town centre hotel is desperately needed in Petersfield.

He added: “Once a site is identified, it is just a matter of talking to hotel operators.”

It is hoped there will be positive news for the next TDC meeting at 3pm on November 3, in the Town Hall council chamber, which is open to members of the public to attend.