PLANS for a prestigious 120-room hotel and conference centre on the historic Bowood Estate have been given the go-ahead, despite vigorous protests from English Heritage and the Garden History Society.

The Marquis of Lansdowne, whose family has owned Bowood for almost 250 years, welcomed the decision, made by North Wiltshire District Council's area development control committee.

The hotel complete with restaurants and health and leisure facilities is expected to bring with it more than 100 jobs, and could create three times as many indirectly.

Bowood Park, covering 2,000 acres, was designed by Capability Brown in the 1760s.