Leading London hotel operator and developer LHG (London Hotel Group) has secured planning permission on appeal for major additional enhancements to Crystal Palace's historic Best Western London Queens Crystal Palace Hotel which will transform the hotel whilst preserving and strengthening the local heritage and townscape.

Designed by Assael Architecture, the development will see the hotel expand from its current capacity of 331 rooms to 495 (with 265 new hotel rooms, and 230 retained existing rooms), a big increase in car parking spaces to 207 (including 13 van spaces), new coach parking facilities, retention of locally listed buildings and the continued part retention of the historic Mews building to the rear of the hotel. The development will also see the re-cladding of the dated 1970s block to the rear of the site.

The refurbishment and enhancement of the hotel - which is a short walk from Crystal Palace Park and the neighbourhood centre with its attractive shops, cafes and cinema - will create 100 new London Living Wage jobs with priority for local residents. It will also see an estimated boost of £2.3 million per annum to the local economy and contribute £2.1m of Community Infrastructure Levy funding for local health services, parks improvements, roads and education.

Meher Nawab, CEO of LHG: "Our plans will significantly improve the hotel accommodation, enhance the building's most important heritage assets, provide new facilities and create additional employment opportunities for local people. Queens Hotel is a great asset for Crystal Palace, and our scheme will enable its much-needed modernisation and upgrading. We have taken on board comments made by local residents and businesses throughout the application process. The scheme we are pleased has now been agreed reduces the massing of the development at the rear of the site compared to earlier versions and provides additional car parking. The proposals will remove and alter some of the unattractive modern additions to the building and will enhance the Conservation Area within which the site is located."

Simon Pitt, Director at Assael Architecture added: "We're delighted that our design for Queens Hotel has been given the go ahead. The architectural design and composition will see the historic building refurbished and given an economically sustainable future through the redevelopment of the rest of the site, whilst improving its relationship to the conservation area and providing modern purpose-built hotel accommodation."

Work to the hotel which has recently had a multi-million pound refurbishment is due to commence in 2020.