THE ROYAL Oak Premier Inn in Petersfield is hoping to add 29 bedrooms in a separate block.

The hotel off Winchester Road is owned by the Whitbread Group plc and currently has 50 bedrooms and 81 parking spaces.

The proposed new-build will bring the number of bedrooms to 79, and increase parking to 109 spaces.

Pre-application talks between Whitbread and East?Hampshire District Council planners are aimed at seeing whether there is scope for building the annex separate to the main hotel, and adding more parking spaces.

The proposed rooms will be in a two-storey block behind the main hotel and built on the existing car park. The car park will then be extended northwards alongside the A3 Petersfield slip road, to create the extra spaces.

If planners agree to the proposal, Petersfield Job?Centre is preparing to hold a recruitment day for the extra staff needed to run the new annex.