PLANS to build four homes on the site of an old pub between Cirencester and Stroud were approved by Cotswold District Council’s (CDC) planning committee despite officers feeling the area is unsustainable for such a development.

The Old White Horse Inn, just outside Frampton Mansell on the A419 Stroud Road, has been closed for eight years and the applicants have now been given planning permission to convert the pub into two houses, as well as build two further homes in the former inn car park.

The applicants also opened Jolly Nice takeaway and shop on the same site, having been granted permission to convert the former Old White Horse filling station in August 2013.

Speaking at the CDC planning committee meeting on Wednesday (October 12), case officer Claire Baker said ‘government policy says this is an unsustainable location’ based on issues relating to highway safety, bus provision and access to shops and services.

However, Cllr Mark Harris, also speaking at the meeting, said: “There are seven buses a day that stop outside this pub, two of those school buses go in either direction, so one goes to Deer Park School in Cirencester and also Stroud High.

“There's employment on site, there's employment in Frampton Mansell down the road and there's employment at the airfield, both about 800m away. There's a shop next door.

“This is already a vibrant area and I think it will enhance it.

“I'm really struggling to understand how this is unsustainable. What on earth have we got to do to make somewhere sustainable?”

Ms Baker responded by saying: “The inspector has cited roads that have no pavements and are not well lit. Our view is, given refusal reasons for other developments, that the access to the various employment places mentioned are not safe.”

She said bus return times back to the site from Cirencester and Stroud would also be a problem if occupants worked in either of the towns.

A site inspection panel consisting of Cllrs Tina Stevenson, Ray Brassington and Patrick Coleman had visited the site the previous week.

Cllr Stevenson said: “Would I not be right in saying adults buy houses? Adults know if they've got a car, adults know if they've got to use a bus, adults plan if they are going to buy in an unsustainable area.

“They can make those decisions on a property that is being developed and when they would like to live there or not.”

However, senior officer Kevin Field argued that it was ‘not a straight forward issue’.

He said: “There are three strands to sustainable development, you need to look at all of those, and ask yourself the question in terms of future applications. Are you going to be able to be consistent in the way you apply those tests?

“That's what your Local Plan does as well in a fairly structured way to try and give you some guidance but it has been relaxed in previous policies and that will be tested in the next year.

“Looking at this, ask yourself the question, are you looking to develop corridors along all of your main transport routes simply because you have access to a bus facility?”

He added: “Be mindful that each decision you make will come back to you because people are looking at how this committee is interpreting this emerging policy of government advice.”

Despite the warning, Cllr Harris proposed to reject the officer's recommendation and approve the application 'on the grounds that we believe it is a sustainable location'.

He was seconded by Cllr Sue Jepson.

13 members voted in favour of the proposal, with Cllr David Fowles voting against.

Committee members also permitted a related retrospective application for the change of use of agricultural land at the site to provide altered vehicular access at Jolly Nice to help accommodate the new homes.

Cllr Sue Coakley put forward the proposition to accept the application, despite the officer’s recommendation to refuse it due to intrusion onto agricultural land as the decision would see the removal of grass verges to allow for two-way access in and out of the site, with the condition that CDC ‘engage with highways to make sure they were satisfied with the whole scheme’.

Cllr Brassington agreed with Cllr Coakley, arguing that ‘access off Rodmarton Lane would make it safer’.

13 members voted in favour of Cllr Coakley’s proposal, with Cllr Fowles again voting against.