TWO new Oxford hotel developments have been granted planning permission.

Oxford City Council planners approved plans to convert listed buildings in Oxford City centre into a 22-bedroom boutique hotel.

A row of properties from 20 to 24 St Michael’s Street, including the 17th-century Vanbrugh House, will be transformed by Sojourn Hotels.

The chain has been working with English Heritage and the council, which will get a major financial boost as Sojourn takes a long lease on the building.

And in Sandford-on-Thames, 38 new bedrooms will be created in two blocks at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars Hotel in Henley Road, after South Oxfordshire District Council granted permission.

General manager Jonathan Oldroyd revealed he had been forced to turn potential guests away due to a lack of space.

Now the £2m will see the development of two new blocks taking the total number of bedrooms to 100.

Mr Oldroyd, who was recently appointed general manager of the hotel, said: “Demand for bedrooms is outstripping supply and we are having to turn people away.

“We need to be able to serve the needs of residential conferences as well as day-to-day corporate travellers.”

The hotel currently employs 50 staff and Mr Oldroyd said more would be needed across all aspects of the hotel from the kitchen to administration.

Meanwhile, an Iffley Hotel has submitted plans to create more rooms in a laundry area and conference suite.

The 60-room Hawkwell House Hotel in Church Way, Iffley Village, Oxford, has long wanted to expand, but city planners were against an extension of the Victorian building.

Now the owners have applied to turn the underground laundry room and a conference room into 11 new rooms.

Four extra car parking spaces would be created if planners allow the development.