The island’s first budget hotel is rapidly taking shape behind safety fencing painted in Premier Inn’s trademark purple.

Planning consent for the 85-bedroom hotel complete with restaurant and bar (17/00823/B) was approved in October last year.

Construction of the Premier Inn by developer Dandara on the Market Street site behind Marks and Spencer is progressing well.

Bedrooms will be located over five floors. The ground floor will house the reception area, luggage room, vending machines, bar, restaurant, kitchen and staff areas.

The hotel will be set back from Market Street to enable the road to be widened to make way for a drop-off and delivery zone.

At the rear, there will be a terrace on the first floor with gated access and a cycle store.

A few objections had been raised to the proposal concerning the lack of on-site parking provision.

But the planning officer’s report states that the town centre location and public transport links makes the application acceptable.

The site, the former Bridson and Horrox print works, is allocated for predominately office use in the Douglas local plan but was latterly used as a temporary car park.

Planners accepted that the vacant plot had appeared rundown and in need of developing.

There are plans for a second budget hotel in Douglas.

An 80-bedroom Travelodge hotel is included in a £25m scheme to redevelop the former bus station site on Lord Street.