A High Wycombe hotel has been refused planning permission for new rooms.

The Wendover Arms Hotel on Desborough Avenue had proposed an extension to its roof space to provide five new bedrooms. This would have resulted in a net increase of three new bedrooms – 49 in total – due to rooms that would be lost in the construction.

The plans included front and rear facing dormer windows, and alterations to the parking layout at the site.

However, Buckinghamshire Council planning officers refused to grant consent for the proposals in a decision handed down to applicant Buckingham Hotels Ltd.

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They wrote: “Due to its poor design, this proposal would detract from the character and appearance of the host property and that of the surrounding area.

“This proposal fails to demonstrate that a protected species – bats – would not be harmed by the proposed development.”

Officers explained that the proposals to enlarge the hotel were exempt from the statutory obligation for the applicant to provide a 10 per cent net gain in biodiversity at the site.

They also said the proposal would have ‘no adverse impact’ upon highway safety or the amenities of neighbouring residents, the environment, or the potential for flooding.

However, they did add that Buckingham Hotels’ plans ‘failed to comply’ with the relevant planning policies and should therefore be refused.

The hotel previously comprised 28 bedrooms, however, planning permission was granted in February 2022 for the construction of a three-storey block with a ‘link extension’ to provide a further 18 bedrooms.

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