Part of Market Street in Douglas will be closed temporarily while work on the new Premier Inn begins.

Foundation works are underway to establish the budget hotel chain Premier Inn on the temporary private car park behind Marks and Spencer.

Due to the depth of excavation needed to develop the site, Market Street will be shut for a week beginning on Monday 22 for the work to be carried out safely.

Entry to Marks and Spencer and Chester Street car parks will still be available, as well as controlled access for those needing to reach businesses.

The ’test week’ will provide a general view of how the road closure will affect traffic, deliveries and access before a more permanent closure of the street begins in late March.

Contract manager Lee Arnold said: ’Discussion with the Department of Infrastructure has taken place to highlight issues with the closure and propose measures to ensure that deliveries to all businesses are not affected in any way.

’All traffic management will be in place for this short closure and be suspended upon completion.’

On February 7 and 8, Market Street will close when a tower crane will be transported onto the site.

Following this, the street will then close for approximately 28 weeks at the end of March.

Plans for the 85-bedroom hotel with a restaurant and bar to be built behind Marks and Spencer were accepted in September last year.

The planning application (17/00823/B) was submitted by Dandara Commercial Ltd for the hotel chain, which has more than 750 hotels around the UK.

Pictures included in the plans show that bedrooms would spread over five floors with the ground floor containing a reception area, restaurant and bar.

In the planning officer’s report it states that the redeveloped site would generate the same level of traffic in the morning peak as the current temporary car park, and three traffic movements fewer in the evening peak.