Planning permission to build 17 town houses on land either side of the Royal Hotel in Ashby de la Zouch has finally been granted.

And the leader of North West Leicestershire District Council says the move will secure the hotel's future 'for years to come'.

The application was reported to a meeting of the district council's planning committee in August last year.

But, at that meeting, councillors resolved to grant planning permission, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement – the obligations of which would make sure the repairs to the hotel are completed so as to secure the renovation of the hotel.

The council says that, after negotiation with the hotel's owner – Simon Dawson's Oakland Hotels Limited – the Section 106 agreement was completed on Tuesday (July 23) - almost a year after plans were given the green light.

The Royal Hotel has had extensive work carried out. Photos: Ashby Nub News

The development and sale of the town houses on land surrounding the hotel will now fund its renovation, and, says the council, ultimately bring it back into use.

The Section 106 obligations also include:

• Enabling the Local Planning Authority to retain control over future development given the nature of the development comprising enabling development and in the interests of preserving the visual amenities of the streetscape and wider area and the significance of heritage assets.

• Ensuring the development takes the form envisaged by the Local Planning Authority in the interests of the visual amenities of the streetscape and the significance of heritage assets.

• Ensuring the development takes the form envisaged by the Local Planning Authority in the interests of preserving and enhancing the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings as well as the streetscape.

• Ensuring the development preserves the character and appearance of the Conservation Area and streetscape as well as the setting of listed buildings.

• Ensuring a satisfactory standard of external appearance in the interests of preserving the visual amenities of the area and streetscape and the significance of heritage assets.

• Ensuring a satisfactory soft landscaping scheme is provided within a reasonable period in the interests of visual amenity, the significance of heritage assets and the setting of the site within the National Forest as well as to mitigate against the proposed tree loss.

• Ensuring that existing and protected trees to be retained are incorporated into the development in the interests of the visual amenities of the area and the significance of heritage assets.

• Ensuring a satisfactory boundary treatment scheme is provided to enable a vehicle to stand clear of the highway in order to protect the free and safe passage of traffic including pedestrians in the highway.

• Ensuring the development takes the form envisaged by the Local Planning Authority, to ensure an appropriate form of design and in the interests of the visual amenities of the streetscape and the significance of heritage assets.

• Ensuring the free flow of traffic between Station Road and the Bath Grounds.

Earlier this month, Ashby Civic Society asked Ashby de la Zouch Town Council why 'nothing was happening' at the Royal site and urged the District Council to provide an update.

The Royal Hotel closed in 2018 due to financial pressures and the need for investment to bring the building up to modern standards, and has remained empty ever since.

Since its closure, the owners installed CCTV across the site to monitor both the building and the car park, boarded up the windows and installed fencing around the whole site.

Conservation officers from NWLDC have inspected the building regularly to ensure it has been maintained in good condition whilst closed.

However, the Grade II** listed building was included on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register in 2021.

Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of NWLDC, said: "Since the Royal Hotel's closure in 2018, North West Leicestershire District Council has carried out a huge amount of work with the owners to not only protect and maintain the building whilst it stood empty, but also find a viable way to bring it back into use.

"The planning permission granted to Oakland Hotels Limited paves the way for the hotel's continued refurbishment and eventual reopening.

"It also demonstrates the owner's commitment to ensuring that the hotel remains an important and prominent part of Ashby's heritage.

"I am delighted that the Royal Hotel's future should now be secure, and that local people will be able to enjoy and appreciate this historic building for generations to come."