Hawkstone Hall, an historic mansion near Wem in Shropshire, is to be transformed into a 43-bedroom boutique  hotel following planning approval.

Work is expected to start in October with an opening planned for summer 2018.

More than 20 acres of Hawkstone Hall’s manicured gardens have already been restored, including an orchard, various waterways and over half a mile of footpaths.

Hawkstone Hall is a Grade 1-listed, three-storey Georgian house. It was built in the 18th century as a family home but has been unoccupied since 2015.

Most recently Hawkstone Hall has operated as a pastoral and retreat centre with conference facilities.