Bosses at a boutique hotel in Loans have been given permission to execute an expansion plan in a bid to improve their offering to visiting families and groups of golfers.
The Old Loans Inn, in the village’s Main Street, owned by SimpsInns, previously sought a change of use to a four-bedroom cottage next to the premises.
The plan was to use the cottage as additional accommodation to the 20-bed offering at the existing hotel.
Now the proposals have been approved by council planners.
The applicant, Lee Simpson, said in a description of the planning proposals: “Our aim is to change the use of 35 Main Street (a four-bedroom domestic cottage) to an additional accommodation offering for the adjacent property, The Old Loans Inn – a 20 bedroom hotel, restaurant and bar.
“The purpose of the cottage would be to allow us to accommodate families visiting the area as well as golf groups.”
The applicant also stated that they did not plan any structural changes.
The planning statement adds: “Originally we looked at applying for a Short Term Let license, so carried out the work to get the property to this standard, however were then told that it would be better to apply to planning for a change of use to be part of the hotel as this is where the bookings would be managed from.”
In approving the plan, council papers said: “The proposals are intended to provide supplementary accommodation for the adjacent hotel, and will continue to be accessed separately from the hotel accommodation.
“Given the principle of hotel accommodation has already been established as being acceptable in the locale, it is considered that the provision of additional accommodation to be owned, operated and managed by the adjacent hotel is acceptable, subject to being suitably conditioned to ensure the accommodation is operated as intended.”