Hearing will determine whether The Blue Lion pub in North Pickenham can be turned into housing
Plans to turn a quaint village pub into housing have been appealed to Government inspectors.
The Blue Lion pub in North Pickenham, near Swaffham, could be converted into a three-bedroom home under the proposals.
The designs were refused by Breckland Council due to the “unacceptable” loss of a community facility within the village.
However, the Planning Inspectorate has now been brought in to review the decision and will assess whether the correct ruling was made at a hearing in the coming weeks.
Wendy and Richard Pyne, the owners of the pub, are hoping to repurpose the building after the business closed its doors in December 2021.
The Grade II-listed property stood empty for nearly five years before the pair took it on in 2017 after a community project to raise enough money to purchase the venue fell through.
Mr and Mrs Pyne say the business is no longer financially viable and cannot be sustained with their “depleted” savings.
However, Breckland Council refused to grant planning permission for the development and argued the couple had not demonstrated there was no local need for the pub or that it could not be sold.
The Pynes have appealed the decision to the Planning Inspectorate, which rules in planning disputes, and contend the reasonings set out by the council.
The couple claim they made “every reasonable effort” to keep the business open but continued to make losses and faced difficulties attracting customers from across the small village into the pub.
They also believe the North Pickenham Community Hub, which serves alcohol as well as hosting events such as bingo and quiz nights, provides sufficient facilities for locals who might otherwise have visited the Blue Lion to socialise.
The Planning Inspectorate will hear evidence from the Pynes and Breckland Council at a hearing in March.