Luxury hotel brand The Pig announced plans to run the 17th-century property as a hotel last year, originally planning to open in 2025.

Company chief executive Tom Ross said: “It is a wonderful property. “It’s a well-known building, so when it came on the market we knew about it and thought it would make a fantastic Pig Hotel.”

The delayed opening hours are a result of the care required to carry out renovations at the Grade I listed estate, he said.

“We just wanted to make sure all our ducks were in a row before we put it into planning,” Ross added.

The estate’s main manor house, opened in 1674, will house nine en-suite guest rooms.

Other buildings on the site will be used for guests, creating 56 rooms in total.

The application said existing owl and raptor centers will be relocated and upgraded to meet zoo licensing standards.

Currently on the estate, just outside the main garden, are aviaries and an outdoor display area for bird shows.

It is not yet known when the council’s planning department will decide on the bid.