THE plan for a luxury hotel and spa on land at Hadnock Road has been given unanimous approval by county planners.

Despite the outline plan to build a 60 bed hotel and six apartments with spa at Valley Enterprise Park having a recommendation for refusal by MCC’s planning officer Craig O’Connor and serious objections from Natural Resources Wales, (NRW) MCC councillors backed the plan at committee yesterday, Tuesday 4th October.

They felt that the advantages of the economic benefits that a luxury hotel and spa would bring to the local economy would outweigh the flooding concerns put forward by NRW which Monmouth councillor Bob Hayward summed up by saying: “to quibble about two or three millimetres of water is churlish”.

He spoke about the aesthetic benefits of a new modern hotel replacing the “unsightly” industrial units on the banks of the River Wye, “a bonus to the town.”

Cllr Liz Hacket Pain reminded members the arguments had been going on for six months between NRW and the applicant and she felt that the balance was between the flooding and economic benefit; “the benefits override everything, bringing jobs to the town and seeing the tourism and promotion of Monmouth increase.

Planning chief Mark Hand reminded councillors that should they pass the plans, the Welsh Minister may well call the plans in for a decision at a higher level “given the nature of the development and the fact it is on a flood plain.”

Cllr Alan Wintle agreed with the other councillors that the development is necessary for the town and was supported by Cllrs Phil Murphy and Debbie Blakebrough who said that all the risk lies with the developer and the owners of the hotel.

Despite being invited to speak at the meeting, NRW declined to appear.