WARMINSTER Town Council’s planning advisory committee has objected to plans to convert a town centre pub into a residential house.

Councillors voted unanimously to object to the conversion scheme at their meeting on Monday.

They say approval for the application to change the use of the Snooty Fox pub in Brook Street would result in the loss of a community asset.

Town clerk Fiona Fox said: “Change of use of a public house to a residential dwelling has to be justified and is a complicated area of planning law.

“Councillors felt that more clarity was required as to whether the case had been made that the pub was no longer viable.”

Cllr Tony Nicklin wants the applicants to show the pub is not a viable community asset and that the guidance for community assets under the National Planning Policy Framework [NPPF] is being taken into account.

The town council is only a consultee so has no power to reject the planning application. It can only offer its opinion.

They also asked Cllr Tony Jackson, the Wiltshire Council ward member , to ‘call in’ the application so the relevant planning laws can be properly assessed.

The application might be discussed by Wiltshire Councillors before a decision is made on whether to grant planning permission.