THE owners of the Hilton hotel in Bournemouth have had their bid to build a three-storey extension to its ballroom refused.

Members of Bournemouth council’s planning committee turned down THAT Group’s application on Monday, despite claims that it would add an extra £1 million to the town’s economy each year.

Concerns were raised that the side extension would “detract” from the main hotel building and that it would block views across the town.

The firm’s proposals were submitted in October in response to its capacity limitations which it said had caused the hotel to lose out on events to other larger facilities elsewhere in the country.

It said that the three-storey extension would allow it to accommodate 500 people compared to its existing 300 maximum for functions that “are not otherwise catered for in Bournemouth”.

A statement submitted with its plans said that the development would also allow it to “readdress the disappointments” of landscaping at the front of the hotel.

Speaking at Monday’s meeting, Peter Tisdale, THAT Group director, said: “We expect this proposal would bring in about 6,500 extra guests per year which we estimate will bring £1 million into the Bournemouth economy.

“We have done as much as we feel we can and this is the only real place where we could get that size extension.

“This would be a very live and real addition to the economy which would bring in events which would otherwise go to Birmingham or Manchester.”

Despite accepting that the “there is a benefit associated” with the development, council planning officer Charles Raven said that this was “not considered to be sufficient to mitigate the harm” in terms of its design and restrictions to visibility and views.

Recommending that councillors refuse planning permission, he said: “The development would not be in accordance with the development plan and would materially harm the character or appearance of the area”.

His view was backed by committee members who agreed to refuse planning permission.

Its chairman, Cllr David Kelsey, said that he was “a big fan” of the hotel design but that the extension would not fit in with it.

“I think it will detract from that building,” he said. “We are going to lose the views coming down the hill and I don’t think it fits in with the building in that place.”

Cllr Kelsey's proposal to turn down the proposal was supported by five councillors with three voting against it.