AN application for the change of use of the Dog and Partridge Inn, Tosside, has once again been refused by councillors at Ribble Valley District Council planning committee.

The proposal to form a detached five bedroomed dwelling with gym, office and garden areas was recommended for refusal by planning officers and was unanimously rejected by 19 votes to nil.

Councillors heard that more than 70 letters of objection had been received by Ribble Valley Borough Council.

The objections included: the impact on community life; profit being the only motive for the proposal; the need for a tourist facility; inadequate marketing of the property as a pub and the fact the pub made a major contribution to the character of the village.

Joe Drachenberg, spokesman for the village action group against the plans, said: "This is just another attempt to rid the Dog and Partridge of its pub status. But the strength of the local community in fighting this action shows just how much it means to the community."

Coun Dorothy Pearson also said that once the facilities to villages were lost they started to decline. She added that it was already evident in Tosside with the threat of closure of the village school.

The pub was granted conditional approval about two years ago to change the use of the function room to the rear of the pub into living accommodation. Since then two applications for a complete change of use for the rest of the building have been rejected.

The first was to turn it into a bed and breakfast establishment with dwelling, and the second was to form a guest house with cafe/bar and dwelling.

A date had been set in April this year for the owners to appeal against the decision but the application was withdrawn.

Councillors felt that the present application did not provide evidence that a realistic attempt had been made by the owner to market a commercial property.

However, the owner stated in a letter that the property had been on the market for more than a year but the problem had been that there was no real profit return as a business.

Also pointed out was the presence of Crowtrees Park mobile home and caravan park, a licensed establishment, nearby along the Wigglesworth road but officers felt that it did not represent a satisfactory alternative to the pub.

This latest proposal to change the Grade II listed building into a single dwelling was refused on the grounds that the development would lead to the loss of a community facility which would be to the detriment of the rural economy and vitality of the area.

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