A hotel has been ordered to remove its "eyesore" garden development after a disagreement with a council.

A planning inspector has agreed with Eastbourne Borough Council's refusal to give permission for the development which it says has “a degrading and harmful impact” on the surrounding conservation area.

The Congress Hotel, in Carlisle Road, Eastbourne, was served an enforcement notice to remove its catering building, decking and pergolas from the front garden last year.

They had been built without planning permission and were considered detrimental due to “their size, form and poor design which is unsympathetic and incongruous within this setting”. 

The owner applied for retrospective planning permission, which was declined, and then launched an appeal. 

Elizabeth Lawrence, a planning inspector, has now dismissed the appeal, saying: “In terms of form, detailed design and materials they fail to respect or blend in with the character or appearance of the host villas or the street scene as a whole.  

“They breach the front building line of the host building and totally dominate the front garden area, obscuring views of the lower parts of the host building.

“They have resulted in the front of the property appearing cramped, cluttered and visually degraded.

“The proposed development is totally out of keeping with the host property and its setting and has a degrading and harmful impact on the character and appearance of the area. It fails to preserve the character or appearance of the College Conservation Area (CCA) and has also resulted in clear harm to the significance of the CCA.” 

While she acknowledged the catering facilities provided extra business for the hotel, the inspector said the damage to the conservation area “clearly outweighed” this. 

The council enforcement notice, which had been put on hold awaiting the outcome of the appeal, is now active and the hotel owner has two months to comply. 

“This eyesore development is entirely unfitting for the CCA and I am pleased the inspector has agreed with our decision,” said Councillor Colin Swansborough, cabinet member for heritage assets.

“It is important that planning rules are adhered to, particularly in conservation areas which are given this title so that we protect their historic character and appearance now and for the future.”