A Herefordshire country hotel is to be scaled back and some of the vacated space used for nearly 50 new homes.

Penyard House, by the A40 between Weston under Penyard and Ross-on-Wye, has been closed for three years.

Now a plan lodged by Mike Etheridge Construction of Coleford, Gloucestershire seeks to retain the 200-year-old main building as a “bespoke, bijou” 14-room hotel and restaurant, while converting its modern extensions and outbuildings to 49 homes.

These would comprise 12 one-bedroom flats, 23 of two bedrooms and 10 of three bedrooms. These would meet national space standards, and have “ample outdoor amenity space”, the application says.

“The proposed mix gives the opportunity for families, couples, single occupiers and elderly people to reside within the development,” and “provides the opportunity for local people to get on the housing ladder”, it adds.

“Virtually all” of the trees in the nine acres of grounds would be retained, while 25 new trees and 50 metres of hedgerow would be planted.

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Bus services to Ross and Gloucester stop on the A40 by the hotel. 

The hotel currently has 80 en-suite rooms – 12 in the original house, 44 in its extension (which will become 32 flats) and a further 24 in a separate accommodation block, which are to become 17 flats.

The work will not involve any demolition or new construction, though windows and doors will be replaced.

Since 2011, Penyard House Hotel has been run as an 80-bedroom country house hotel targeting corporate and leisure guests, and geared to hosting functions.

Its closure in spring 2020 coincided with lockdown measures resulting from the Covid pandemic, in the wake of which it was considered to be “no longer operationally or financially viable”, the application says, adding it “has now become tired, worn and dated in appearance”.

Comments on the application, numbered 230173, can be made until March 16.

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