Plans for a new 24-room extension to a hotel in a Herefordshire beauty spot have finally been approved.

A Mr Rollinson applied in April last year for outline planning permission to demolish a modern eight-room extension at the Royal Lodge Hotel, a former hunting lodge beside the river Wye at Symonds Yat, and replace it with a larger two- and three-storey structure.

His application said a “higher standard of accommodation” at the hotel would boost its occupancy rates throughout the year.

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While indicative 3D images of the extension were provided, the details of the proposal’s layout, scale, appearance and landscaping were to be put forward in a future application.

Based on the images, a representative of the Wye Valley national landscape, formerly AONB, said that in weighing up the “harm” to the protected landscape, “it has not been demonstrated that a proposed development of this scale and in this location is in the public interest”.

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Goodrich & Welsh Bicknor group parish council also objected on the grounds of an “inappropriate increase in scale” to the hotel and a lack of evidence that it was needed.

But none of Herefordshire Council’s own officers covering highways, landscape, trees, ecology or drainage offered any objections, nor did any members of the public.

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Planning officer Heather Carlisle acknowledged that the spot “is in a sensitive location awarded the highest level of protection in terms of scenic beauty and landscape”.

But she felt the proposal “has the opportunity for a redevelopment which responds to the character of the site”, and which would “bring about significant economy tourism wellbeing benefits”.

Outline permission was granted with 14 conditions, among which were requirements to provide cycle parking and vehicle charging, and to demonstrate no net increase in outdoor lighting.