A LINE of villas behind a burnt-out hotel in Weston is set to be demolished under plans to convert the closed business into flats.

Work is to soon start on turning The Lynton House Hotel in Madeira Road into 41 apartments following a successful planning appeal by developers last year.

But a group of villas and a modern rear extension of the hotel need to be demolished before work can begin.

Last week, Stephen Cooney put in a planning application to demolish the buildings, which were used before the hotel was gutted by fire more than two years ago.

It follows a long line of correspondence between the developer and North Somerset Council which has seen councillors twice throw out plans to convert the site.

Councillors on the authority’s west area committee had said the proposals would be overbearing, represent overdevelopment and cause parking problems.

But in November, planning inspector Dianne Wride said, despite the proposal adding one metre to the building’s height, it was unlikely to cause any significant impact on neighbouring properties.

She also said the size of development was in line with neighbouring businesses and said, although street parking was limited, there are available spaces and a pay and display car park nearby.

The plan is to turn the building into 41 apartments, including 17 one-bedroom, 23 two-bedroom and one three-bedroom flats.