Langley villagers divided over pub plans

The Broads Authority has strongly objected to controversial plans to turn a derelict pub into a house.Villagers in Langley have been left divided after the parish council recommended approval of plans to convert the former Wherry Inn to residential use.

The Broads Authority has strongly objected to controversial plans to turn a derelict pub into a house.

Villagers in Langley have been left divided after the parish council recommended approval of plans to convert the former Wherry Inn to residential use.

The Broads Authority has written to South Norfolk Council to formally object to the proposals.

The building is owned by Gary Hayes, who resigned as a parish council member last week before the meeting began and a vote was taken on the issue.

A previous application to turn the pub into a house was refused by South Norfolk Council in 2006.

A Broads Authority spokesman said: “Public houses offer a good facility for visiting tourists. The Wherry Inn is located particularly close to a Broads gateway (Langley Dike) which offers links (River Yare and New Cut) to popular tourist honeypots such as Great Yarmouth and Oulton Broad. The Broads Authority encourages use of these gateways to enable tourists to venture further into villages to make use of the facilities they provide and essentially creating further economy for settlements.”

It said the proposal followed the closure of the Ferry at Horning and the Barton Angler at Barton Turf.

The application will be discussed in detail at a future South Norfolk Council area planning committee meeting.