CONTROVERSIAL plans to convert Sixpenny Handley’s sole pub into flats have been refused after councillors warned its loss “could be the final nail in the coffin” for the village.

Planning officers at East Dorset District Council had recommended that the application be approved after the landlord of the Roebuck Inn warned that the business was no longer financially viable.

Villagers had opposed the plans to redevelop the building into three flats and their fears that the move would be the loss of its only pub were echoed by councillors.

The pub had been put up for sale by its owner, John Fury, after “six or seven years” of running it at a loss.

After 15 months on the market and, having received no offers, he submitted an application seeking permission to change the building’s use to a residential one.

Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting of the council’s planning committee, he said that his takings over the last year had average no more than £500-600 with customers using the village’s restaurant and bar instead of the pub.

“We’ve run the business for 21 years and up to 2010 we were doing okay until The Shed [restaurant] came into being and then the brewery [bar] and this has really put the final nail in the coffin.

“We’ve put £12,000 of our pension fund in this year. The last thing I wanted to do was close the pub.

“The people behind me [the objectors], none of them have been in the pub in the last four years.

“They are after the building for £250,000 – you can’t even buy a flat for that and we are being trapped and held captive in our business.

“We said if they gave us a fair offer we would accept it but they haven’t done. In the six months they never made a bid and didn’t collect any money.”

As the pub was registered as an asset of community value, a six-month period was made available inviting bids from potential purchasers.

However, with none coming forward, and a ruling from the District Valuation Office that the business was no longer financially viable, the status was revoked allowing the planning application to be submitted.

On Wednesday, councillors voted to refuse the proposal, despite it being backed by council planning officers, saying

Cllr Toni Coombs said: “I’m concerned that, bit by bit, we are starving this village of its facilities through piecemeal developments.

“I do hear all the arguments about ‘use it or lose it’ but there must come a point when we are required to consider whether other local services are available and whether the loss of the pub would result in a substantial decline in the quality of services.

“I think with the cumulative effect of what’s already been happening, this could be the final nail in the coffin for the range and quality of services.”

A proposal by Cllr Coombs to refuse planning permission was backed by six votes to three.