A new spa has been given the go-ahead at a stylish village hotel - despite fears it would harm a building of "national importance".

The Ffolkes Arms at Hillington, near King's Lynn, has been given planning permission for the new extension, which includes a courtyard with loungers and cabanas, spa garden, spa pool, plunge pool, saunas, steam room and treatment rooms.

The number of bedrooms would be reduced from 16 to 12 by converting four rooms to spa rooms.

West Norfolk Council's conservation officer objected on grounds the development would harm the historic environment.

The official added: "The Ffolkes Arms is a grade II listed building and as such is of national importance.

"The site has increased in size, been covered in tarmac and is quite substantially lit at night.

"Given the sensitive nature of the context of the site, we feel that the listed building is being lost amongst plans which seek too much within its setting."

But a planning officer said the development would offer public benefits which outweighed the "less than substantial, moderate in scale, harm".

The council's regeneration team said the spa would help to encourage all-year-round tourism.

They added: "The Ffolkes Arms offers benefits to the local community, tourism, and the local economy and has wider economic impacts in terms of bringing in customers from wider afield, and possibly having a wider economic impact upon existing businesses within Hillington and the wider locality."

The hotel was given a £2m refit after it changed hands in 2017 to create a "landmark destination".

In 2022, the building was given another makeover.

Built more than 300 years ago, the FFolkes was once a part of the nearby Hillington Hall Estate.

Bought by the Ffolkes family in the 18th century when Martin Ffolkes was attorney general to Queen Catherine, the building has also been used as a court room.