ITALIAN restaurateurs the Cinotti brothers are considering resubmitting altered plans to the council for a boutique hotel in Newport.

Amid fears they may have to temporarily close their popular Gemelli restaurant on Bridge Street if planned Network Rail works prove too disruptive, they say they want to concentrate once again on their hotel plan.

An original plan for the hotel, on Stow Park Circle, was thrown out by city councillors amid concerns about parking and access and following objections from residents in the area.

But brothers Sergio and Pasquale Cinotti, who own two Gemelli restaurants in Newport, say they are hoping to resubmit a plan with some alterations in the hope that it will get approved this time round.

Pasquale Cinotti said: “It looks like we will have to close the Bridge Street restaurant for the next 8 months, because the noise and works will be a bit of a nightmare.

“If we need to do that we will focus on the hotel.

“Newport needs something exciting like a boutique hotel, something classy, something different.

“It is ready for something like this.”

The brothers bought the £350,000 Grade II listed Rothbury House on stow Park Circle nearly two years ago.

Since planning permission was turned down they have worked to try to tackle the areas of concern in the hope that a new amended plan will be more acceptable.

“We have been working together with highway officers to ensure that extra car park spaces have been added, including disability spaces,” said Pasquale.

The planners' report recommended a refusal of planning permission on the grounds that the applicant "has failed to demonstrate that adequate parking provision and access can be provided to serve the development in a manner that does not have a detrimental impact upon the character and appearance of the Stow Park Conservation Area."

Objections to the first set of plans included one resident calling the hotel proposal "ludicrous" and raised concerns over issues such as traffic, commercial deliveries, disturbance and anti-social behaviour.

A protected horse chestnut tree, which is also located on the grounds, will be kept.

*Bridge Street will close on May 3, 'until late 2016', to allow Network Rail to carry out works as part of the electrification of the rail line.