A PLANNING battle that ended in victory for the applicant is due to be debated at a meeting next week.

Proposals to turn the former Watersplash Hotel in Brockenhurst into retirement apartments were rejected by the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) in October last year.

But the applicant, PegasusLife, lodged an appeal and the NPA’s decision has been overturned by government-appointed planning inspector Stephen Hawkins.

Mr Hawkins has given the go-ahead for the 24-flat scheme.

His decision is due to be discussed at next Tuesday’s meeting (MAY 16) of the NPA’s planning and development control committee, which is always briefed on the outcome of appeals.

PegasusLife has welcomed the inspector’s decision to allow the appeal.

Howard Phillips, the company’s chief executive, said: “Brockenhurst is a beautiful place and we’re looking forward to creating homes that are right for the local area and will enrich the lives of the people who will choose to live within our development.”

The former hotel, part of a conservation area, will be turned into one and two-bedroom flats for people aged over 60.

Earlier this year, a PegasusLife proposal to replace the Lyndhurst Park Hotel with retirement apartments and holiday lets was rejected by the NPA.

People who objected to the application are still waiting to discover if the company will also appeal against that decision.

The New Forest National Park Authority originally threw out the plans to turn the former Brockenhurst hotel into a huge "industrial-style" complex in July 2015 after objectors lobbied members of the authority over the growing shortage of holiday accommodation.

Councillor Maureen Holding told the meeting at the time to "look at the number of beds we're losing in the area", arguing that the "large, overbearing building" looked out of keeping.

"If we're not careful we're going to have a lot of tents here and no hotels," she said.