Some residents have expressed their sadness after plans to turn a hotel and restaurant into flats have been approved.

Rustington Manor Hotel and Restaurant in Broadmark Lane, Rustington, closed in 2017 after the owners retired.

Arun District Council has now approved plans by Leach Investments to create four new apartments on the site after the venue was marketed three times with no success.

The venue, apart from two existing flats inside, has now been empty for seven years.

According to the plans, these new homes would each have their own private outdoor space along with a shared garden and parking.

Two of the flats would have two bedrooms and two would have three bedrooms.

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Since the new plans were confirmed, residents have taken to social media to share their nostalgic memories of the former hotel.

One resident Lynne Darbin said: "It was lovely when it was a restaurant, many a lovely meal we had there."

Lin M Streatfield said: "Very sad, it was a lovely restaurant once."

Angela Hammond shared how she had celebrated special occasions at the former hotel.

She said: "I had my first wedding night there and wedding reception and a birthday in 2017. What a shame."

Some residents also argued that the vacant hotel, which had previously been called an "eyesore" by people living around it, is far from this.

Maxine Hargroves said: "It was a lovely hotel before it closed.

"Not an eyesore at all.

"I had my wedding night there and the staff were wonderful. Such a shame it's gone."

Although some people have been left upset by the plans, a number of residents contacted the council throughout the planning process to show their support.

People living in the immediate area said that the new flats would be "the best solution" for the building that has reportedly been falling into "disrepair".

One neighbour said:  "The plans look very acceptable and it's good to see the height would remain the same as it is. It would be nice to see the building in use again before it gets dilapidated."

Another resident said: "The hotel backs onto our garden and from our point of view this will be the best solution as the building is in a state of disrepair."