A historic Herefordshire hotel has been given the go-ahead to convert a large adjoining garage into a weddings and events venue.

The grade II-listed King’s Head in the High Street, Ross-on-Wye, is believed to date from the 17th century.

But the 270sq-metre garage to its rear, currently used for parking and storage, is “a utilitarian mid-20th century workshop of a very common type”, the planning application said.

Lying within the town’s conservation area, the garage, accessed from the car park to the rear, backs onto the neighbouring Corn Exchange, also grade II-listed.

Under the plan, the garage’s windows will be fitted with acoustic blinds to prevent noise pollution, while the existing corrugated roof and its asbestos vents will be replaced.

The approval requires the hotel to install and maintain covered and secure cycle parking facilities.

It was granted despite an objection by the council’s ecology officer, who said it represented “significant work and changes to an existing building that could support protected species including multiple bat species recorded in and around Ross town centre”.

But the approval also requires the hotel to adhere to an “ecological protection, mitigation, compensation and working methods scheme”.

The hotel was previously refused permission, overturned on appeal, to convert the garage into flats.