Hotel spa upgrades approved ahead of Ryder Cup bid

Plans to upgrade spa facilities at a luxury hotel hoping to host the prestigious Ryder Cup golf tournament have been approved.

The Arora Group, which owns the Luton Hoo Hotel, just south of the town, has already been granted permission to build another golf course that it hopes could eventually host the US v Europe golf contest.

Arora submitted full plans and listed building consent to Central Bedfordshire Council for an extension to the spa at the former stables building at the site, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council's development management committee unanimously approved the development and a separate application for listed building consent.

The hotel's owner has previously said it wanted to be able to host the biennial Ryder Cup in either 2031 or 2035.

It said professional golfers Gary Player and Justin Rose were helping to design the new course, and it hoped to set up a Justin Rose academy there.

In 2023, it was announced Luton Hoo would be undertaking years of redevelopment work so it could join the luxury brand of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.

Other hotels in the Fairmont family include The Savoy in London and the Fairmont in St Andrews - the "home of golf" in Scotland.

Upgrade work involves the spa revamp, alterations to the listed Adams building, a new pavilion, new tennis and padel courts, and creating a children's play area within Columnhill Woods, according to the report to the council committee.

Central Bedfordshire principal planning officer Caroline Macrdechian told councillors: "This would bring the prestige of a Fairmont hotel to the authority."

As the development was in the green belt it was still subject to referral to the communities secretary.

Concerns were raised in the report about the impact on heritage and loss of trees.

Conservative councillor for nearby Caddington, Kevin Collins, said: "The longer term plan will see a relaunch as a premium destination. This will be a great asset to south Bedfordshire.

"I don't dismiss any of the concerns raised in the report. I agree in principle with many of them."

Surinder Arora, founder and chairman of the Arora Group, explained all the planned upgrades at the site were part of a "once in a lifetime opportunity".

"Originally we thought we might spend up to £50m. The dream has been getting bigger and we're looking at an investment of £160m to £170m, while creating more than 350 extra jobs," he said.

"The lake is badly silted, so we'll clean it up, and the River Lea.

"[As] one of the five-star brands, Fairmont suggested it couldn't open there without the luxury spa."

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