A PUB landlord is planning to appeal after West Somerset Council came out against changes made to a bed and breakfast unit he has built.

Tim Willis, who runs the 17th century White Horse Inn at Washford, was previously given planning permission to put up a building on land adjoining the car park opposite the pub, to be used as three bed and breakfast suites.

But although the approved building was to have three staircases, it has been built with only one and a staff kitchen has also been installed.

Mr Willis applied to the council for retrospective permission for the amended layout, and officers recommended approval when the matter came before the council’s planning committee on May 18.

But members went against the officers’ advice and refused the application, saying: “The development as built is tantamount to a new residential dwelling that would fail to bring forward sufficient economic benefits to the existing rural business, particularly when judged against the permitted B and B use.

“Therefore the proposal is unsustainable development and fails to meet the requirements of the West Somerset local plan.”

Mr Willis told the Free Press yesterday(Thursday) that he intended to appeal against the decision.

“The building has planning permission and the variations had the approval of planning officers,” he said. “The application was just for a minor change of layout.

“I am now discussing with my builder, solicitor and architect the next course,of action but we will be going 100 per cent for an appeal.”

The committee’s decision said: “Despite the local planning authority’s approach to actively encourage pre-application dialogue, the applicant did not seek to enter into pre-application discussion and built a dwelling rather than the permitted B and B letting rooms.”