PLANS to build a house next to a hotel in Malvern have been rejected by the council.

The owners of the Cotford Hotel in Graham Road wanted permission for a self-build development in the grounds of the hotel.

According to planning documents, they currently stay in one of the hotel bedrooms.

They were looking for separate living accommodation, but nearby so they can continue to manage the hotel.

But planning officers said the scheme “would not preserve the character of the conservation area” and the council’s drainage officer had concerns over the proposed disposal of surface water.

Malvern Hills District Council said despite the authority having a shortfall of self-build homes, the benefit of just one house would be limited and “would not outweigh the harm identified”.

In plans submitted to the council, access to the proposed house would have been from Graham Road using the existing access road that serves the hotel.

“The site is well located in a highly sustainable town centre location which would afford easy access to the services and facilities contained therein as well as realistic options for sustainable travel modes,” the planning statement said.

“It is considered that significant weight should be given to the benefits of this self-build housing scheme in light of the significant undersupply of self-build plots within Malvern Hills District and the failure of the SWDP [South Worcestershire Development Plan] to provide a coherent, policy-based strategy to meet identified needs.

“The proposed building would have little impact on the Conservation Area. The spacious plots have been respected and maintained, and due to the topography of the site and the area, views of the building would be extremely limited from vantage points along Graham Road.

“From Back Lane, it would only be the roof of the building that would be visible, and this has been designed to appear as an ancillary building to the main hotel, similar to the existing coach house, and would therefore appear in keeping with the area.”