PLANS to convert a warehouse opposite a Wellington pub into five homes have been opposed by local councillors.

The proposal is to develop an old carpet warehouse that backs onto the Victoria Arms pub car park in North Street. There would also be a two-storey extension built into the car park to help accommodate the planned five homes.

It has been claimed that the income from the development could supplement the revenue of the pub - which is expecting its hardest year of trading - with the new homes being rented out.

But that did not wash with members of Wellington Town Council’s planning committee when they discussed the application on Monday, April 3.

Cllr Keith Wheatley said: “The applicants have said that running the pub is a hard business to make a living in and that these five homes will keep the pub going.

“Call me a sceptic, but I just don’t believe it and saying that this proposed development is going to save the pub is pretty flimsy.”

Cllr Wheatley suggested that “no pub landlord would work long hours and for nothing” if they had a substantial alternative income. “It just wouldn’t happen,” he said.

“There is a large amount of opposition to this application,” added Cllr Wheatley. “I think this would be a massive over-development of this site and that is a valid reason to refuse it.”

A number of people had attended the committee meeting and told councillors about their concerns with the application including traffic and parking and how the development could impact on elderly residents living at the nearby Bishop’s Court retirement complex, while they said that the pub car park was always busy.

Cllr Nancy Powell-Brace said: “I think we should take on board that we, as councillors, are representing the people who live in the town.”

She said that she could understand their concerns and that with Wellington Fire Station nearby the area needed to be kept as clear as possible in case of emergency vehicles having to make a quick exit.

Cllr Mike McGuffie said: “I don’t like it – it’s an over-development and inappropriate.”

Councillors voted in favour of opposing the application, although a final decision will have to be made by the new Somerset Council unitary authority.

Documents on the council’s website showed that the licensees of the Victoria Arms are expecting a difficult trading year.

“This is our 20th year in the pub and it looks like it could be our hardest one with all the rising costs of gas, electric, beer and wages,” they said.

“The idea behind the houses is to try and supplement the income for the pub as we may not make any profit - or very little - this year as people tighten their purse strings.

“We are hoping to either rent out fully per month or maybe even try the Air B&B option, but we are determined to try and keep the pub going even if it is just breaking even for the next year or so and then using the income from the houses to live on.”

The licensees have also said that the loss of the car park would have “no effect on the pub” as 99 per cent of customers walked to the Victoria Arms