The ‘hidden gem’ country pub near Preston which wants to build houses in its back garden

The Green Man Inn at Inglewhite has applied for outline planning permission for the homes on land currently used for the temporary storage of caravans.

The village pub sits in the Inglewhite Conservation Area and is a "site of special interest" according to Preston Council. Owners Mikoh Inns have submitted plans for four three-bedroom houses on the land which is described as an "unkempt" fallow field. Access to the mini-development would be on a new road alongside the pub.

Planners say the new houses would amount to infill and not impact on the Conservation Area which includes the village's listed Market Cross and the nearby Inglewhite Congregational Church.

The Green Man was built in 1809 and describes itself as a "hidden gem . . . tucked away in the heart of the Lancashire countryside." It says the new homes would "constitute an improvement to the environment and amenity over the present part-time use for the storage of caravans and, otherwise vacant and unused space."

A report to the council says: "The proposed development is to be on land belonging to the Green Man Inn. This area of land sits between two other domestic dwellings. It is therefore an infill site in the bounds of an existing property (garden site)." The houses are to be "room in the roof type bungalows" to limit the height in comparison to the public house.

The report adds: "The proposed development is to utilise an unkempt, under-used area of an existing property garden. The design of the new development has been carefully considered to reflect the local vernacular. The walls are to be rendered and painted and the roof will be a slate tile covering. This reflects the appearance of the adjacent properties either side and the Green Man Inn.

"The inn is neither a listed asset nor a non-designated heritage asset. The listed assets in the village area are the Market Cross and the Congregational Church. Neither of these assets are within sight of the proposed development.

"As the present use is to provide temporary storage for a number of caravans, it is considered that this proposal makes good use of the land and improves the aspect of the surrounding properties."