PLANS to convert a Lake District guest house into a holiday let are recommended for approval by national park planners.

Members of the development control committee for the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) are recommended to approve proposals from Tim Brooker to convert Firtrees Guest House on Lake Road in Windermere into a holiday let.

The guest house was built in 1888 and consists of nine bedrooms to let as well as owners’ accommodation.

Windermere and Bowness Town Council have objected to the proposals and said: “Residents feel that a change of use would result noise and disturbance created by unmanaged groups of holiday visitors with no on-site staff which they currently experience from a neighbouring property after this was changed to a holiday letting unit.

“We feel that a property of this size would be more usefully utilised as self-contained residential units for long term letting.”

However a report prepared by LDNPA planning officers says it is considered the proposed use would not result in an ‘unacceptable increase’ in noise or activity.

The report adds: “There remains a large number of visitor bed spaces and a wide range of visitor accommodation types in Windermere, including a significant number of guest houses and hotels.

“I am satisfied that approval of this application in combination with previous permissions would not result in a harmful or unacceptable loss to the range of accommodation locally.”

Members of the development control committee are recommended to approve the proposals when they meet on December 4 at Murley Moss in Kendal.