RETROSPECTIVE plans to convert a Lake District guest house into holiday apartments have been given the go-ahead.

Members of the development control committee have approved retrospective plans from Clark Zhou to convert Claremont House, on Compston Road in Ambleside into five apartments and three en-suite bedrooms for short-term holiday letting.

The planning statement says: “In a growing trend toward off-site managed overnight accommodation, where a formal food & beverage provision is not offered, the premises have been converted into five apartments and three ensuite bedrooms all for short-term holiday letting.”

Lakes Parish Council submitted an objection to the change of use and raised concerns regarding the ‘decline of traditional B&B’s’.

Their response to the plans said: “The loss of these establishments undermines the local economy and community cohesion. This also reduces the choice of accommodation available for visitors.”

The parish council also pointed out that visitors in self-sufficient accommodation types are ‘less likely’ to visit local eateries which can ‘negatively impact’ the local economy.

In response, the report prepared for the committee by LDNPA planning officers stated there is a ‘wide range’ of visitor accommodation types in Ambleside.

The report said: “I therefore consider there to be a range of tourism accommodation types in the local area and that the loss of this guesthouse would not have a detrimental impact on the range of visitor accommodation types in the area, provided the use of the units as short-term holiday letting accommodation is secured by condition.”

This planning application was approved by the LDNPA on September 4.