PLANS to introduce a 21-bedroom hotel in Tadley look set to be rejected by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

The application, put forward by Bishopswood Golf Course, aims to build 18 dwellings on a currently unused part of the course.

The scheme would comprise of 11 dwellings to the north of the development site and seven dwellings to the south of the site, with a new road constructed to provide access to both sections of the development.

These dwellings would then make up the 21-bedroom hotel and a small housing development on the site off Bishopswood Lane.

However, council officers have recommended that councillors refuse planning permission on grounds that the development would cause “substantial harm” to the Tadley conservation area.

As previously reported in The Gazette, approval has already been granted to develop a 120-bed care home on the golf course, but this application has been met with backlash from residents.

Both Tadley Town Council and Baughurst Parish Council have written letters of objection to the borough council against the proposal.

An officer’s report on the proposal reads: “The proposed residential development would harm the future integrity of the strategic gap resulting in encroachment onto undeveloped land designated for the purpose of preventing the coalescence of built up areas.

“The application proposes insufficient enhancement and mitigation measures to compensate for the loss of the woodland area and net loss in biodiversity that would be lost as a result of the proposed residential dwellings.”

The report adds: “Although it is acknowledged that the proposal provides an improvement to an existing local facility which will benefit the users of the golf course, Tadley and the wider borough, the proposal is contrary to Policy SS1 in respect of being located within rural countryside outside of a defined settlement boundary and is therefore principally unacceptable.

“It is considered that in addition to the inappropriate housing mix and lack of affordable housing and multi-functional green space contributions, the proposal will result in unacceptable levels of harm to the landscape character.”

A decision is due to be made on the proposal by borough councillors at a development control committee meeting on January 9.