THE company threatening to close a Bromsgrove village pub has submitted plans for the site, but it has been warned that it might have a 'white elephant' on its hands.

It has emerged that planning regulations may prevent owners Saveinvestments from carrying out their ideas for the Dodford Inn in Whinfield Road.

According to campaigners fighting to retain the popular watering hole, the district council has received two applications. One is to convert the 150-year-old pub to residential use. The other is to build two 'Chartist style' bungalows in the grounds surrounding the premises.

But according to Independent district councillor Mike Gill, whose Woodvale ward includes Dodford, consent may not be straightforward if and when the owners close the site.

Cllr Gill said: "The council's planning policies are clear and have been upheld in previous similar cases.

"The pub is in a conservation area, which means it is a criminal offence to demolish the building and the council would be able to take action if the owners allowed the building to deteriorate. Because it is in an important conservation area and green belt they are not going to be able to change its planning use for development or otherwise, or even for a single dwelling," he added.

"If they shut up the Dodford Inn the developers are likely to be left with an expensive white elephant having lost its business value and not being capable of alternative development."

Saveinvestments was invited to comment, but had not responded as we went to press. The firm, which is part of the Petchey Group, has accepted that licencee Ray Louch and his wife Mandy can stay until the end of October.