PLANS for a 117-bed three-star hotel in Chippenham will be debated next week.

Tulip Inn, the UK branch of the Golden Tulip international chain, has submitted plans for a hotel on land next to Focus DIY in Methuen Park, Chippenham, which could create up to 50 jobs.

North Wiltshire District Council's development control committee will look at the plans on Wednesday, but officers have recommended permission be granted.

The hotel chain has already submitted plans for a 120-bed hotel, which were refused by the council in June.

Councillors will have to examine the impact on traffic and parking and the scale of the hotel development.

Corsham Town Council said it has no objections to the plan while Chippenham Without Parish Council has made no formal comment.

The council's tourism officer supports the scheme, echoing the views of Gareth Jones, Chippenham Chamber of Commerce president, who has already said the hotel plan is "excellent news".

But concerns have been raised by the council's urban design officer, who said there were "fundamental issues" with the appearance of the hotel, which could impact on the surrounding brook and green land.

The officer also said landscaping proposals were insufficient and called for a revamped application to be submitted.

This latest plan differs from the chain's initial application, with the building reduced by a storey, leading to the loss of three rooms. The proposed building would still be larger than the neighbouring Wincanton Logistics headquarters.

Planning officer Simon Smith said in his report to the committee, that copper coloured panels and oriel windows on the building's north east side, which faces the A350/A4 junction, would help make it more pleasing to the eye.

He said although the urban design officer had raised concerns, there wasn't much more the hotel chain could do to make the building less visually intrusive without a dramatic reduction in the number of bedrooms.

Wiltshire County Council has abandoned its request for a cycleway and footpath link to be built as part of the development.

Mr Smith recommended the hotel plan be approved, subject to conditions.

It would make the Chippenham hotel Golden Tulip's first in the south west of England, and would include a bar, bistro and conference rooms.

The development control committee will meet in the council chamber at the authority's Monkton Park headquarters at 6pm.