A PLANNING inquiry next month (April) will decide whether a 100-bed hotel should be removed from a multi-million pound riverside development plan at Lymington.

Applicant Paxton Holdings want to replace the hotel plan at the former Webbs chicken processing factory site off Bridge Road with a 60-bed care home.

Webbs' factory controversially closed six years ago with the loss of 500 jobs.

Paxton Holdings initially submitted plans for 300-plus apartments, including 90 affordable homes, 10 live/work units, the hotel, a restaurant and public riverside walkway and pedestrian bridge link to the town centre over the railway line. In 2005 the company won planning permission for the scheme.

But last year it submitted plans to replace the hotel with a 60-bed care home. That plan was rejected by the planning development control committee.

Critics of the scheme included Pennington Ward councillor Martina Humber, who said the hotel would provide the development with a central feature where people could enjoy a drink, a meal and attend conferences.

And Lymington Town Council planning committee chairman Cllr Pauline Elsworth said the area already had seven care homes providing 228 beds.

But Paul Uttley, representing Paxton Holdings, questioned the viability of a luxury hotel at that location and said only budget hotel businesses had shown any interest.

And he said a care home would generate less traffic than a hotel.

Nevertheless, councillors refused the plans by 13 votes to six.

The public inquiry is to be held from 10am at Lymington Town Hall, Avenue Road, on Tuesday, April 17.