NEW homes will be built on the site of a village restaurant after years-long plans have eventually been backed by councillors.

Part of the Wagon Wheel in Grimley near Worcester will now be demolished to be converted into two homes under the plans.

Owners Giuseppe and Julie Giuliano, who have been trying to sell the Wagon Wheel for a number of years in order to retire, have tried several times to have their housing plans approved – the latest of which proposes building two homes instead of three – but had been unsuccessful until this week.

The plan has now been backed by Malvern Hills District Council’s planning committee bringing an end to more than three years of discussions and applications.

At the meeting in Malvern on Wednesday (April 6), Cllr Peter Whatley said it was a “very difficult decision” but given the government inspector’s ruling and the failure to obtained ‘valued community facility’ status for the building he would support the housing plan.

Cllr Pam Cumming said the grounds for keeping it open were “tenuous.”

Cllr Paul Cumming said he applauded the effort to keep the pub open but the reasons put forward to reject the plan had already been covered and dismissed by the planning inspector and he would be voting in favour of the plan.

‘The Friends of the Wagon Wheel’ group had been attempting to get the building registered as an asset of community value in an attempt to save the pub and restaurant from turning into housing.

Planners at Malvern Hills District Council rejected an application in July 2019 to convert the restaurant and pub into homes as it was a “valued community facility” which would not be replaced in Grimley if it closed.

Mr and Mrs Giuliano had looked to have the decision overturned by the government's planning inspectorate but despite a hearing ruling that the restaurant was not a 'community asset' it still threw out the appeal.

Government planning inspector Gareth Thomas determined the Wagon Wheel was not a community asset but could not overturn the decision saying there was a risk of flooding and the homes would be out-of-character for the village.