A LANDLORD has threatened to bar some villagers over what he claims are false rumours about a housing plan.

A proposal to build nine two and three-bedroom homes has been put forward by Endine, a company controlled by the family who own the Vernon Arms in Hanbury, near Droitwich.

Licensee Darren Aston says after two years and a £600,000 overhaul of the pub he is getting no credit for trying to fund more investment in the building with money raised from building the new homes.

Some villagers have launched a vocal opposition campaign over their fears this is just the first application in a much bigger plan to build more than 100 homes and point to the inclusion of an access road running through the site.

Mr Aston denies this, saying he is going to put a football pitch on the site, although the application says it “makes provision for any development at the rear”. In a joint statement, residents Roger Wright and David Palmer said: “Hanbury residents suspect that 100 or more houses will follow on the field behind the pub.

They also said there was “concern about the proximity of the site to a blind bend and road junction.”

Aside from the traffic concerns about the B4091, which runs through Hanbury, others claim there is no proven need for new homes, say the nearby school is full, and have criticised the homes’ design.

However, Mr Aston is furious about the campaigners’ suggestions about potential further development.

“There’s an organised group that don’t want nine houses and are spreading a load of lies,” said Mr Aston. “They think we’re going to build 150 houses at the back, because we want to put an access road through the site.

“But the truth is, it’s going to be a football pitch.”

Mr Aston says he wants to run a new village pub football team.

“In March, we were approached by the Nailer’s Arms team, as they were losing the place where they play,” he said.

He said they had bought the pub in 2009, spent £24,000 clearing the application site of “scrap” so they could build the houses to fund fresh investment in the pub.

“We bought the pub, we’ve made it better and we want people to embrace it,” said Mr Aston. “But I will bar anyone who objects to the plans over these lies.”

Wychavon District Council planners are looking at the application, and awaiting consultation responses.