Castle Howard wins approval to restore room damaged in 1940 fire

The room's interior was destroyed by a fire in 1940

The owners of a stately home which featured in TV show Bridgerton will now be able to restore a room damaged by fire more than 80 years ago.

The interior of the Cabinet Room at Castle Howard, near Malton, North Yorkshire, has been derelict since the blaze in 1940.

The plans would recreate the original 18th-century interior.

Ryedale District Council voted to approve the plans despite objections from The Georgian Group.

Councillors agreed the proposed scheme would preserve the special interest of the 145-room Grade I-listed building.

The plan will reinstate panelling, cornices, skirtings and dado rails, while a series of tapestries made for the room in 1706 will also be returned.

Decorations will be based on historic photographs and drawings.

Historic England said the plan was supported by detailed research and was a "step forward" in reinstating the lost interiors of the building.

The house has featured in numerous TV shows and films

But experts at The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and The Georgian Group objected, calling on management to consider "alternative and less intensive schemes of works" to reinstate the tapestries.

A spokesman for The Georgian Group said the work had "the potential to cause considerable harm to the special architectural and historic significance of Castle Howard".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, councillors were told the statutory adviser was Historic England, although other contributions were welcome.

Councillor Mike Potter, chairman of the committee, said: "A great deal of research was done by historians and the council's planners.

"The restoration scheme itself will be a tourist attraction."

Designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, Castle Howard attracts more than 250,000 visitors a year and has featured in numerous TV series and films including Brideshead Revisited, Victoria and more recently Bridgerton.