Owner of Chitterne pub in appeal over house plan rejection

The pub closed in October 2019 and has been on the market for eight years

The owner of a closed-down pub has lodged an appeal after his bid to convert it into a house was rejected.

Kenton Stone has appealed for the government planning inspector to step in over his plans for the King's Head pub in Chitterne.

Last May Wiltshire Council rejected his conversion idea, after he had then tried to sell the pub for seven years.

The council previously said his bid did not detail enough how the Grade II listed building would not be harmed.

However, Mr Stone responded to the council's refusal, saying "I don't think they've taken in all the information we supplied," The Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"So many pubs are closing at the moment because of the cost of having a pub.

"We've had the pub on the market for eight years and not been able to sell it. We've been closed since Covid and we did open up to try to have a deal with the village but we couldn't agree terms."

Residents' objections

He added: "Pubs just seem to be closing left, right and centre, there's not enough footfall in the village.

"The village is too small, there's only 300-odd people here - a lot are kids, not pub people."

In the council report, it says the application "would entail the removal of a flat roof toilet to the rear of the property, along with internal alterations".

Comments on the original application indicate several residents objected to the plans.

One says: "The King's Head pub has been a great asset for the community of Chitterne over the years and when it was fully open provided an excellent place for villagers, their friends and those passing through, to meet, eat and socialise.

"In heritage terms, the loss to the village of Chitterne of this historic pub would be extremely negative."

The date for the appeal hearing has not yet been confirmed.