PLANNERS have recommended that an historic hotel be refused permission to partially demolish a Grade II-listed garden wall to make way for housing.

The owners of the family-run Hardwicke Hall Manor Hotel at Hesleden, near Blackhall Colliery, want to build four houses within the adjacent walled garden, which would require knocking down a section of the oval wall itself for access.

The development would, they claim, secure the hotel’s long-term future and safeguard 31 jobs.

Although the proposal has won backing of local councillors and the East Durham Business Service, Durham County Council’s own design and conservation, landscape and archaeology departments have all objected to the plan.

The country hotel is itself a Grade II-listed building which is thought to date back to the 16th Century although the main house is largely 18th Century and served in the past as offices for the National Coal Board.

The application seeks to build four two-storey houses. The proposed houses would be three-bedroom and of traditional design, around a central courtyard with two parking spaces each, reached by a new access road which would involve the demolition of a section of the wall forming the walled garden.

The owners describe the three-star hotel and restaurant as “the only significant remaining hotel in the East Durham area.”

Planning permission for a 25-bedroom extension was granted in 1999, but the development was abandoned when costs escalated and permission lapsed.

In a statement to go before next week’s Area Planning Committee, the applicants said: “The proposed development that will secure a capital contribution that will be invested into the business thereby securing its long term sustainability and protect the 31 jobs directly associated with the business.

“The funding will permit works for the preservation of the listed wall with other potential further works to the listed hall such as roof repair and central heating upgrade identified should remaining capital permit”.

However, Durham County Council’s design and conservation department have objected to the proposal saying it would “cause demonstrable harm to the listed wall”.

The council’s landscape department is also objecting to the proposal claiming “the visual intrusion of the two-storey dwellings has been under estimated” while the archaeology department also object over the impact on the hall and say there it is possible the development site stands over a Medieval manor complex and earthworks.

Councillors will meet to decide the application at County Hall, in Durham on Tuesday, November 10.