A PLANNING application has been submitted to turn a boarded up public house into holiday lets and a ground-floor café.

The New Inn, in Priddy, currently lies vacant. 

The application, submitted by the Salmon Planning Company on behalf of a Mr R. Sage, seeks full planning permission for the change of use, extension, and alteration of the public house to two holiday lets and three dwellings, with a café/restaurant at ground floor and formation of associated parking.

If successful, the building, which is described to have an "unkempt" appearance in the application's planning statement, would be improved to have a "positive enhancement to the character of the area.

The statement explains further: "The conversion and alterations to the building would mainly involve creating a limited amount of new and amended window and door openings into the building, alongside the replacement of a large, modern conservatory with a new two storey extension.

"These changes in and of themselves would have a neutral impact on the character and appearance of the property, but as they would facilitate the re-use of the existing building and re-development of a brownfield site they would, overall, result in a positive enhancement to the character of the area.

"The Application site comprises of a disused public house which has been closed for over 10 years. The site comprises of previously developed brownfield land in the centre of a village that has some key facilities, including a primary school, village hall, church and a pub.

"There is already suitable provision being made in Priddy in terms of a public house by the presence of the Queen Victoria pub which is less than 200 m away from the application site. In addition, the Applicant has marketed the premises for the last four years and this demonstrates that there is no likelihood of an economically viable re-use of the property as a pub, or similar community facility.

"The proposed scheme would deliver the dual economic benefits from both the provision of new tourist accommodation units, and a new café/restaurant.

"The proposal therefore complies with the objective contained in Core Policy 3 of the Local Plan which says that the Council will support proposals which extend the attraction of the area to visitors, and with Core Policy 4 which supports the conversion of existing buildings to an economic use."