A planning application to expand a hotel in Hatfield and demolish the restaurant on the site has been approved.

The plans, submitted by Whitbread, would see the former Airfield Brewer's Fayre at the Premier Inn in Comet Way knocked down, and replace with a three-storey building made up of 47 rooms.

The Airfield has been closed since earlier this year, after being axed as part of Whitbread's nationwide Premier Inn restructuring.

"Premier Inn has identified a considerable demand for additional hotel accommodation in this location. Equally, the existing hotel restaurant has shown a continued shortfall in demand," the planning application read.

"The applicant therefore seeks to reconfigure the hotel bedroom and restaurant offer on the site to ensure its success and future viability.

"The proposal seeks permission for the demolition of the existing Brewers Fayre restaurant, and the erection of a 47-bedroom three-storey hotel extension in its place.

"The proposed extension will be situated largely within the footprint of the existing restaurant building but will be smaller and set further back within the site from the A1 and Comet Way. 

"No additional land needs to be acquired to accommodate the proposed development."

A smaller restaurant is included in the plans, with the proposal continuing: "A restaurant will be reprovided within the existing hotel in place of six existing hotel bedrooms. As a result, there will be a net increase of 41 hotel bedrooms and 81 hotel bedrooms in total."

Despite some residents raising objections to the plans, which they believe would cause traffic problems and change the character of the area, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council approved the plans yesterday (December 2).

To view the planning application, visit planning.welhat.gov.uk/Search/Basic, and search 6/2024/1323/MAJ.