Plans to demolish the Woodside Hotel to make way for 55 homes look set to be approved, despite objections from locals, the town council and Kenilworth's MP.

Vistry Partnerships West Midlands has put forward the plans for the historic building, having already been given prior approval to flatten the site.

Sir Jeremy Wright recently said there was no justification for the project, nor for more homes in the town.

But a report from planning officers at Warwick District Council (WDC) has recommended planning permission be approved.

"The development is a full planning application for 55 dwellings that complements the surrounding area," the report said.

"The layout demonstrates a high quality scheme which is acceptable in overall terms including in respect of the integration of built development within the surrounding landscape and the site provides additional benefits in securing appropriate links to the surrounding site to provide a comprehensive development across the overall allocation.

"Whilst the proposal will result in the total loss of a non-designated heritage asset, the report indicates that it is not possible to resist the loss and whilst unfortunate, there are no grounds to resist the development on this ground."

Last May an application to demolish the 74-bed Woodside was thrown out by WDC on biodiversity grounds.

The site was subsequently sold to Vistry who are currently building 620 houses around the hotel.

If approved, the latest application would see the Woodside knocked down to be replaced with 43 houses and a block of 12 apartments.

"It is disappointing that the [previous] operators did not believe they could maintain a successful business on the site, but such a conclusion does not establish that no business on the site could be viable in the future," Sir Jeremy said in a statement earlier this year.

"The reference that has been made to the impact of the pandemic in limiting custom reinforces this point – the pandemic's effects are no longer felt in the same way and are likely to diminish further over time. 

"In any event, it is not clear to me how any conclusion, sufficient to change the planning status of the site, that the Woodside will never be viable again could have been reached, or on what evidence it has been based."

Alongside 25 members of the public, Kenilworth Town Council has also objected to the application.

Councillors said it was "appalling" how little respect was paid to the history of the building in the planning application.

WDC's planning committee will discuss the application on Thursday (December 14).

See the council report here.

Like this article? Why not subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here.