LONGLEAT'S plans for a new 240-room hotel, water park and business conference facilities are a step closer to becoming a reality after being approved by Wiltshire Council.

The plans, which had been amended to include widening of the access road and tree planting to screen the building, now just need the approval of Highways England, which will look at how the proposal will impact the local road network.

The development is expected to create 300 new jobs, boost the local economy and provide family-friendly hotel accommodation in the area.

Visitor statistics show that more than 40 per cent of Longleat's one million annual visitors travel for more than two hours to see its attractions, including the Grade-I listed Elizabethan house and Humphry Repton heritage parkland.

Bob Montgomery, CEO of Longleat Enterprises Ltd, said: "The decision to approve our application is a huge boost to Longleat's long term future, for Wiltshire and our local town and village communities.

"We believe the hotel will enable Longleat to develop and grow over the coming years and will provide a new tourism hub for the area which will attract new investment."

Located on a 135-acre site to the south of Tascroft Court, close to Warminster and the A36, the proposed hotel will also provide business conference facilities for up to 200 delegates.

Mandy Paterson of Inspire, which represents Chambers of Commerce across the county, said: "We have over 3,000 business clients from small businesses to large corporates.

"Feedback from these clients, particularly those larger businesses, are that the county has a dearth of appropriate business conference facilities, or hotels able to offer a delegates accommodation for more than 120 delegates.

"Businesses currently have no option but to go outside the county for appropriate hotel and conference facilities.

"This application therefore carries the unreserved support of Inspire and our member businesses."

Not everyone fully supports the development, though. At a town council meeting earlier this month Cllr Tony Nicklin said the proposal was at odds with the neighbourhood plan.

"There are problems with pedestrian, cycling and vehicular access to the highway and its connectivity to the town," he said.