PLANS for Ryedale’s first Premier Inn have been given the go-ahead.

The planning application for an 84-bedroom hotel with a restaurant and bar, as well as three light industrial units, on 1.59 hectare site south of the A170 on the eastern outskirts of Pickering, was approved by Ryedale District Council’s planning committee last Tuesday, subject to conditions.

The site, which is next to the Thornton Road Industrial Estate, currently has a bungalow, which would be demolished. The application also includes the creation of a pond habitat area for great crested newts.

A report to the planning committee said Ryedale had a limited national hotel chain presence and currently there are no “budget” chain hotels operating in the district. The proposed hotel would address this and would contribute to improving the choice of visitor accommodation.

“On completion, the proposed development is estimated to have the potential to generate 25 jobs and £1.4 million annual contribution to economic productivity within the North Yorkshire economy of which £1m could be local to Ryedale. The scheme will generate up to 60,800 additional leisure and business visitors to North Yorkshire annually.”

It added: “The positive economic benefits of the hotel development to Pickering and the district as a whole are significant.”

A spokesman for Premier Inn said: “We’re over the moon with the council’s decision to grant planning permission for our 84-bedroom Premier Inn hotel in Pickering. The new hotel adds another excellent location for our customers, in a part of the country where Premier Inn is under-represented, and will bring many long-term benefits to Pickering including 25 new year-round jobs and an anticipated contribution of £1.4 million to the local economy.

“With planning permission granted, our next steps are to work with our development partner Jomast and Ryedale District Council to discharge the conditions attached to the planning consent. Assuming the process goes smoothly we could be on site in the first half of next year which would be fantastic.”