A local hotel is bidding to keep its new outside patio areas after building them without planning permission.

The Riverside Hotel on Leamington Road has applied for retrospective planning permission for a number of paved areas which were built last year.

Plans submitted to Warwick District Council show the works began last May at the green belt site.

The application said: "These spaces have been carefully designed to create high quality, functional, and visually appealing environments that significantly enhance the overall guest experience.

"The paved areas provide well defined zones for outdoor seating, informal gathering, and circulation, allowing guests to comfortably enjoy the hotel's external amenities throughout the year."

If the council refuses the application, the hotel could be forced to rip up the paving.

Multiple new paved areas have been installed (image via planning application)

"The proposed patio area represents a modest, low-impact extension of the existing hotel's facilities, providing improved outdoor amenity for guests," the application continued.

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"The works comprise high-quality hard surfacing without enclosing structures, and as such, the

proposal does not constitute a disproportionate addition to the existing development."

The Riverside Hotel was home to more than 100 refugees between December 2021 and early 2024.

See the full planning application here.