PLANNERS have approved a plan for a modern-design house in the car park of a former historical Meon Valley pub.

Liz Freemantle applied for the house at the back of the pub, now known as Lion Hill House on Main Road in West Meon.

The 18th century former coaching inn closed in around 2014-15 and planning permission was given for a two-bedroom house after a planning appeal in 2018.

West Meon Parish Council dislikes the plan saying it was inappropriate for a village full of old building. But two neighbours did not raise any objections.

Cllr Mike Read told the planning committee: "I used to frequent the pub. The reason the pub closed was because of the number of cars that would go into the pub. It is a very dangerous bend."

Cllr Russell Gordon-Smith said: "It is an interesting design and an imaginative use of the site."

The committee agreed it was a better building than the design that was allowed on appeal in 2019.

Committee chairman Therese Evans said: "It will be interesting to visit it once it is built on our coach visits to see how it fits in."

The application was unanimously approved.