A major re-development of a derelict hospital site which will include a hotel and homes has been given the go-ahead by the council.

The West Park site will accommodate a hotel and conference centre, 369 new homes, car parking, open space and gardens. The Grade 2 listed water tower will also be refurbished and transformed into four residential units.

The application is subject to a section 106 agreement and several recommendations made by councillors at the Epsom and Ewell Council Planning Committee last Thursday.

Councillor Anna Jones, who sits at the committee, said: “We put some recommendations in place to ensure the development will be good for the area. We want the water tower changes to be made at the first stage and not to have all the houses built and then the water tower developed.”

The development would include 220 private and 149 affordable homes, which would have Rosebery Housing Association as Registered Social Landlord.

These homes which would all be new build would be located in clusters principally in the central and eastern parts of the site with the old retained hospital ward buildings being altered and converted to provide 95 private houses.

An outline planning permission for the re-development of four of the hospitals was granted in 1997, but West Park was not included.

The hospital, which closed in 1999, was designated in the Local Plan in 2000 as a major developed site in the Green Belt. The NHS have disposed of the, site but some parts of it will remain in NHS use.

Coun Jones said: “We have also asked that there is a 20mph speed limit, but that goes to Surrey County Council and they will give the yay or nay.”

Environmental concerns were raised by the Surbiton and District Bird Watching Society and Natural England and building will not start until those concerns are addressed.