Campaigners raise a toast as homes plan for pub thrown out

DEVELOPERS' APPEAL IS REJECTED BY GOVERNMENT

- By JULIA BREENS

CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after an attempt to turn a village pub into housing was thrown out by a government inspector.

The Oddfellows Arms, in Higham on the Hill, had been earmarked for a development of seven properties by Cartwright Homes.

The developer launched an appeal after Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council refused planning permission last year.

The council said the development would have caused the loss of a “key community facility” and would have been “prominent in views from public vantage points”.

The government's Planning Inspectorate has now dismissed the developer’s appeal, saying it would be unacceptable on heritage assets and would “harm the character and appearance of the area”.

The move has been applauded by the Save The Oddies Pub group, or Stop for short, whose members have long campaigned to turn the 250-year-old building into a community pub.

Local MP Dr Luke Evans called the campaigners “formidable”.

Stop had previously raised money and secured government funding which allowed it to make several - albeit unsuccessful - offers to buy the building.

Discussions had been ongoing between Stop and Cartwright Homes before the developer submitted its planning application.