A HOTEL and restaurant has failed in its bid to secure planning approval amid a long-running planning dispute over an extension built without the correct permission.

The owners of Casa Hotel and Restaurant had submitted plans to demolish part of the original building, creating a smaller, redesigned development in Elland Road, Brighouse.

But despite Calderdale Council planners recommending the downsized scheme be approved, planning committee members turned down the plans.

It follows a planning appeal in 2015 over a large extension, which the firm behind the hotel, Castelite Ltd, lost. A subsequent High court appeal last year quashed that decision and a fresh decision from the planning inspectorate is yet to be made.

In the meantime after negotiations with Council planners, the revised scheme was submitted.

Chairman of the planning committee, Councillor David Kirton, told the Telegraph & Argus that with two members of the panel absent, the vote was extremely close.

"Three members voted against the plans, and two abstained. If it had been any other day, the plans could have well been passed, given how close the vote was," he said.

"The situation with Casa has gone on for a number of years. But members still had concerns about the impact on the green belt.

"Some felt a development of this size should never have been built in the green belt."

The applicant had described this latest scheme as a way of reorganising the premises by demolishing some of the older parts of the building, and moving those uses into the recently-built extension.

“As part of this exchange there is an opportunity to redesign the internal spaces to accommodate those uses and also to change the external design and materials so as to have a less intrusive appearance," a design statement said.

“The surrounding site will be landscaped to restore the wooded setting and this includes part of the areas used for car parking without losing spaces.”

The scheme involved reducing the volume of the venue by 20 per cent from the appeal plans as well as changing the colour of the building from white to cream and brown.

Planning officers had said that although the site was in the green belt, they felt there were very special circumstances.

However the committee disagreed, despite the applicant offering to turn an outdoor terrace into a garden to cut down on noise issues for neighbours.

Cllr Kirton (Con, Hipperholme and Lightcliffe) added: "Once they offered to remove the terrace, I felt I could support the plans, but I realised I would not get the support, that's why I abstained."

A spokesman for the Casa Hotel and Restaurant, said: “We have been working extremely closely with the planning officers to present a scheme that was acceptable to all.

"Having made the recommended amendments to the plans, in accordance with the officers’ suggestions, they strongly recommended to the meeting that the new proposals should be accepted.

“We were therefore taken aback when the vote narrowly went against us.

"However having heard the reasons some of the councillors objected, we are optimistic that with a few more minor adjustments we will be able to present revised plans at the next meeting that will be acceptable to all.”