SOUTH Hinksey residents are celebrating after their village pub won permission to reopen.

Villagers Cass and Helen Hazlewood bought the pub the General Elliot from Vale Breweries this year, five years after it closed in 2009.

They said they planned to trade as a country pub and restaurant and offer eight “short let” studio rooms.

After they applied for planning permission to Vale of White Horse District Council in May, the Environment Agency (EA) objected, saying there was a flood risk.

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But the couple carried out a second, more thorough flood risk assessment, made some minor modifications and won permission.

Mr Hazlewood said: “It was tough going.

“We had to do a topographical survey of the whole site, dig trenches to test how fast water would drain away and speak to an engineer.

“It was a huge undertaking, but in the end the council said it was the whole aspect that was important.

“This is about bringing the community back to life, and we have had overwhelming support from the whole village.”

Mrs Hazlewood, a mum-of-four, will manage the pub. She said the pub will be a “traditional, family friendly place to give people somewhere to enjoy a pint again”.

The General Elliot won Oxford CAMRA’s pub of the year award in 2007 and 2008, but closed in 2009 after the landlord suddenly left.

Residents successfully fought several attempts to redevelop the site for residential use, with the last controversial application to build houses on its car park withdrawn in August 2013.

Villagers started drinking and socialising at each other’s homes, but this mock pub scheme soon grew too large, with up to 60 people turning up at one time.

Since the Hazlewoods acquired the lease, they have begun refurbishing the building.

Mr Hazlewood added: “We have taken a huge risk in going ahead with the renovation, if they had said no we would have lost a sizeable amount of money.”

They hope to open 11am to 11pm Mondays to Saturdays and noon to 10.30pm on Sundays.

Vale head of planning Adrian Duffield said in his decision report the plan would “refurbish and reopen a local facility which will have a community benefit”.

He said: “From the level of strong support for the proposal from local residents, this benefit will be considerable and should strongly weigh in the balance.

“The addition of letting rooms is a vital part of the proposals to ensure the long term viability of the business and facility.

“There will also likely be knock-on tourism and economic benefits from the proposals.”

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