A revised application for a hotel and spa at a popular country park has been submitted less than two months after the original one was rejected.

The multimillion-pound project destined for Betteshanger Country Park, near Deal, was thrown out by councillors in July due to environmental concerns.

These included fears over scale and intensity, increased pollution, loss of open space and impact on the local wildlife including rare and endangered Turtle Doves.

In addition, more than 600 written objections had been sent to Dover District Council’s (DDC) planning portal over the original scheme, with protests also being held by campaigners.

Now, bosses at the park have submitted a revised application to DDC, with the hope the alterations will see the project approved.

Changes include a range of additional measures to support wildlife, such as relocating the spa area to retain two ponds, whilst also still delivering the reed-bed area to create a managed ecology zone.

Developers say this will provide a habitat gain for the Water Vole species in the area in response to concerns previously raised by councillors and the public.

Bosses have also scrapped the plan for an outdoor pool area and have provided an additional nine acres of managed land for Turtle Doves and other species on the eastern border of the park.

The additional area for Turtle Dove enhancement and management is current grazing land.

Overall the application is still to put up a 120-bed hotel with a spa, gymnasium and restaurant/bar, complete with parking for 97 vehicles.

The application site would be on two hectares and the main four-storey hotel building would comprise two wings each 17.8m (58ft) wide and up to 86m (282ft) long.

Stuart O’Leary, from Betteshanger Country Park, said “The application for the hotel at Betteshanger Country Park will help ensure the future of the park for everyone in the local community that uses it, as well as visitors to the area and for the wildlife that calls the park home.

“Our plans have always prioritised an environmental management scheme for the park with the provision of a wildlife warden – something that hasn’t existed for decades due to lack of funding by the previous owners.

“The additional nine acres of managed land for Turtle Doves, the retention of the ponds and the new managed reed-bed areas will support the wildlife to continue to prosper throughout the park and support the biodiversity net gain across the wider area.

“The need for a high-quality hotel in this area has long been highlighted by tourism agencies and is a key objective of both Dover District's Tourism and Economic Growth Strategies.

“The plans for the hotel at Betteshanger Country Park will help meet this need whilst also securing the future of the park for both the wildlife and for generations to come.”

A further 54 comments against the scheme have already been submitted to DDC via its planning portal.

Three have been submitted in favour of the application.

Emma Parker said on the portal: “We have lost too many areas of natural beauty in this town, it is constantly gridlock by building works.

“If you’re going to add more hotels, homes etc you need to look at widening roads in and out of Deal and more support facilities such as schools, doctors surgeries to cope with the extra people that will be here.

“Betteshanger park does not need a hotel, there are plenty in Deal and Sandwich.

“Why ruin the natural beauty of the place with a big hotel? It completely defeats the object of the place.”

Karen Robinson said: “Its becoming increasingly sad to see the loss of our beautiful countryside. I don't want to see the loss of wildlife and natural beauty. We don't need a hotel.”

But Lewis Miller supports the project, saying: “Very much needed in the area.

“Great way to boost tourism and give a boost to our local business owners. Should've been built years ago.”

Developers say an overnight stay at the country park will be in economic terms 8.5 times more than a day trip there.

They also say that the country park – a former colliery – needs to diversify to make it economically viable.

The hotel is just one long-term ambition for Betteshanger; bosses have also revealed their intention to create a huge surf lagoon there.

This would be the first-of-its-kind in Kent.

An application for this scheme has been submitted to the council, but has yet to be approved.