A PLANNED two-storey extension to a Premier Inn has been given the go-ahead.

The detached annexe to the budget hotel in Gargrave, next to the Anchor Inn, off the A65 Hellifield Road, will house 26 bedrooms, two linen stores and a plant room.

In addition, six existing bedrooms will be converted to a restaurant for the use of Premier Inn guests only.

The extra bedrooms will be in addition to the existing 64 rooms in the main building, which was given planning permission in 2016.

The existing 140 spaces in the adjoining car park will be retained by a reconfiguration of the layout.

Gargrave Parish Council objected to the scheme describing it as an ‘urban block’ and out of scale with the traditional built up environment of the village.

In supporting documents with the application to North Yorkshire Council, agents for Premier Inn said there is a need for additional bedrooms at the Gargrave site because of its close proximity to the Leeds and Liverpool canal and to popular hiking routes.

It states: “Premier Inn has identified a considerable demand for additional budget hotel accommodation in this location.

“It is also acting to reconfigure the restaurant provision to ensure it best fits the needs of customers in select locations.

“This proposal for additional bedrooms and an adjusted restaurant provision would meet Premier Inn’s operational requirements at this location and go some way in helping to address this bedroom demand.

“The proposal would facilitate optimal operation of the hotel bringing substantial economic and social benefits.”

Premier Inn added that it will also create and support employment opportunities and provide accommodation for both tourists and business users.

“The proposed extension will expand a well-established business in an appropriate manner, reflecting the design of the local area and through suitable positioning,” said the firm. 

A North Yorkshire Council planning officer report, in recommending approval, said while the extension differs in that it is detached, the overall design is very similar in scale, design and use of materials.

It said that while the development would be inappropriate in the centre of the village, it is on its edge and within a site of other large buildings, including the Twin Locks garden centre.

It concluded: “The proposal is considered acceptable in principle as it would extend an existing business which in turn would benefit the rural economy.

“The rearranged host hotel building would allow for an increase in accessible rooms which would promote more people to the area.”

Five trees lost to the development will have to be replaced as part of a landscaping scheme.