Plans to turn a 300-year-old pub into two homes have been refused by councillors who feared the “unacceptable loss” of a community facility.

The Crown Inn near Tenterden closed in 2016, not long after being turned into a bistro-style restaurant.

It has sat empty ever since, prompting owners to submit plans to convert the pub building itself into a "generous five-bedroom dwelling" with a two-storey extension.

Meanwhile, the converted garage would have been extended to become a larger, one-bedroom house, with the shelter-turned-summer-house included in the grounds.

When they were first submitted, plans were received poorly in the village, with numerous residents saying the area needs the pub to return.

Following a meeting last month, the decision to refuse the development was made.

The decision notice said: “The proposal would result in the unacceptable loss of a community facility, and there has been an absence of robust justification and evidence to justify that loss.

“It has not been demonstrated that the facility no longer serves the community and the application has failed to identify an equivalent or alternative community facility that provides a similar offer which meets the needs of residents.

“Furthermore, it has not been shown that the facility is no longer viable, and that all reasonable efforts have been made to market the facility.

“The development therefore fails to comply with the economic and social objectives of sustainable development.”

The pub, which also includes a two-room bed and breakfast, is located within the Stone-in-Oxney Conservation Area.

If the plans were approved, shelters outside the pub would have been converted into a summer house or an office and the existing shed would have been demolished to make way for a new parking area.

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While the building itself is not listed, it is designated as an Asset of Community Value.

Before plans were submitted, the pub was listed on the market in April 2020, but received no bids towards the £495,000 price tag.