A LAKE District hotel’s plan for expansion has been turned down amid protests from neighbours, who feared it would mean over-development.

Mike Bevans, co-owner of Linthwaite House Hotel, Bowness, wanted to build 12 new detached bedroom suites as a way of staying competitive in the tourism trade – increasing the number of bedrooms from 30 to 42.

But, having heard the views of objectors, members of the Lake District National Park Authority’s development control committee turned down his proposal Presenting the application, Ben Long told the committee at a planning meeting: “The proposal is aimed at maintaining the hotel’s quality and competitiveness.

“The site is not prominent on the landscape, the design would use local materials in a modern way. “Staff numbers would increase from 45 to 55 and the units would be biomass powered.”

And Mr Bevans, who took over the hotel in 1990, said the plans had been drawn up to minimise impact and providing ‘quality space and sustainable tourism’ for the area.

“We are in the business of selling peace and tranquillity – we do not want to do anything to spoil that,” he said.

“We are only interested in providing a quality environment, not something that would be detrimental to the environment and landscape. We are a four-star hotel and one of the top 200 in the UK.”

But, speaking on behalf of six objectors who live close to the hotel, David Kinsman told the meeting: “We consider such a massive development would lead to considerable disturbance in terms of noise and light pollution.

“The hotel grounds and car park are currently brightly lit at night and even the entrance gateway sports excessive lighting 24 hours a day. Safety requirements would presumably require that the hundreds of metres of new access paths to the lodges would also be lit at night.”

The residents were also concerned about noise and additional traffic and claimed the hotel should concentrate on filling its existing rooms.

Mr Bevans told the meeting that the hotel had 68 per cent occupancy, which was higher than the average for hotels.

Windermere and Bowness Civic Society also objected on the grounds that the hotel could not fill its existing rooms and that the proposed materials and building style were not in keeping with the existing buildings in the area. The society also claimed the units would be ‘glorified caravans’.