A SWANAGE hotel has been given permission to demolish a block of garages and build a pair of holiday homes in its place.

The application to Dorset Council is for the The Pines Hotel site in Burlington Road.

Swanage town councillors had raised no objections to the re-development plan for the triple garage flat roof block although neighbours raised concerns about the height and the potential to change the buildings from holiday use to residential at a later date.

One neighbour had complained that the new building would obscure the view of the Purbeck Hills from a balcony – which was accepted, although the council notes that a right to a view is not a planning consideration.

Said a council officer report: “The proposed houses do not have significant levels of amenity space, however, as holiday lets in conjunction with the main hotel, this is considered to be acceptable. Officers consider that a planning condition should be applied to ensure that the buildings remain in this use.”