FRESH plans to make changes to a popular North Cornwall pub, which has been closed amid controversy for the past 21 months, have been submitted to Cornwall Council.
The proposals to make changes to the Bullers Arms at Marhamchurch have brought strong opposition from local residents and the parish council, and the pub was even mentioned in Parliament last year.
The original plans for changes at the pub were withdrawn before they were due to be considered by the East sub-area planning committee in February.
Owner Stephen Rudman had applied to turn the function suite of the Bullers Arms into a five-bedroom house and build seven houses on the car park.
The planning officer had recommended refusal due to "fundamental issues", but was backing plans to demolish part of the function suite.
However, both applications were withdrawn and now an altered plan has been submitted.
The main alterations are the deletion of two domestic garages and a second vehicular access, the incorporation of chimney stacks and other details.
Mr Rudman told the Cornish Guardian this week that there were minor alterations in line with the council's conservation officer's wishes.
He said he was having a dialogue with local residents at the moment but it was "taking a lifetime" to get the application to the planning committee.
He added that the attitude of the planning officer dealing with it was "a breath of fresh air".
The application will be considered by Marhamchurch Parish Council on Tuesday but will not go before the area planning committee for a final decision until July at the earliest.
Mr Rudman says the bulk of the pub will be kept as an inn and restaurant and that he has supported the business "out of a self-imposed moral obligation to keep a longstanding hub of the village open".
More than 200 people had commented on the Cornwall Council planning website opposing the original plans.
Parish councillors had recommended refusal and said they wanted the Bullers Arms listed as a Community Asset under the Localism Act.
The campaign to save the Bullers Arms was even raised in Parliament, by North Cornwall MP Dan Rogerson, during a debate about beer tax on November 1.
Parish councillors had recommended refusal and said they wanted the Bullers Arms listed as a Community Asset under the Localism Act.
They maintain the pub is at the heart of the conservation area, its car park and beer garden is an important open space and its function room a key village amenity.
Health campaigner Candy Baker, who lives in the village, said yesterday: "It is not supportable as far as we are concerned.
"It was a viable pub when Mr Rudman took over and we do not want the lounge pulled down or houses built on the car park."