An international quality golf course in East Cornwall has been given permission to build hundreds of holiday lodges as it bids to appeal to a wider audience.

St Mellion International Resort near Saltash has been granted full permission for a first phase which includes 27 lodges, wedding venue, kids’ club and tennis court.

And Cornwall Council has also granted outline planning permission for further development including 203 holiday lodges and a reception building which would include a farm shop, microbrewery and artisan bakery.

Resort owners Crown Golf stated in their application that St Mellion is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the company’s portfolio.

With its new plans the operators said: ‘The level of our ambition is high. We want to establish St Mellion as the best, most sought-after and aspirational family friendly resort in Cornwall.’

The company said that since it acquired the resort it has extended the resort’s 80-bed hotel and Kernow golf course.

It said that these improvements have further cemented the resort’s reputation amongst golfers claiming the Jack Nicklaus designed course is on the ‘bucket list’ of many golfers.

However, the company is now looking to extend the appeal of the resort to more general visitors.

It said: ‘The St Mellion resort is focused on this narrow market sector and it looks, sounds and acts like a golf-centric leisure facility. In its current form it does not offer a wider leisure resource, perhaps one more representative of its location in Cornwall which is one of the most established and desirable holiday locations in the UK.’