PLANS for a 40-bed hotel on the outskirts of Durham have been welcomed as extending the range of accommodation for visitors.

Durham City Council's development control committee has granted planning permission to Whitbread Restaurants to build the Travel Inn Hotel, a pub-restaurant and parking for 121 vehicles at Broomside Lane, Belmont.

The site is on the Belmont Industrial Estate and Business Park, close to Durham City FC's New Ferens Park ground.

In August last year, outline planning permission was granted at appeal for a major development that included the hotel and pub-restaurant, along with business units and an indoor soccer complex.

The hotel plan attracted an objection from a resident in nearby Rowan Tree Avenue, over the risk of supporters being forced to park in residential strees, and the opera-tor of a guest house at Dragonville.

The guest house operator raised concern about the impact from the number of hotels that have been built or are to be built in the city.

A report from planning officer Allan Simpson said the planning inspector's conclusion was that the city had the capacity for accommodation ranging from bed and breakfast to "premium" hotels.

"As a budget hotel, the Travel Inn has a place as a mid-range facility and its position close to office and business activities, combined with easy access from the A1(M), render it a useful addition to Durham that need not compete directly with cheaper accommodation," he said.