by Alan Quick

AN extraordinary meeting of Crediton Hamlets Parish Council to discuss a planning application to turn the Mare and Foal public house at Yeoford into a private home will be held in Yeoford Community Hall on Tuesday, July 25.

The pub has a history going back at least 150 years and it used to be an hotel and sold petrol from pumps outside.

Current owner and licensee is Trevor Sawtell who moved there with his partner nine years ago from the Isle of Wight where he had owned an hotel, having previously worked with Moorlands Brewery at Abingdon.

Mr Sawtell is now applying to Mid Devon District Council for change of use to a residential dwelling.

In 2014 the pub was designated as a community asset but after no interest from the community in buying the public house when the asset registration was in place, this has expired and is now being offered for sale on the open market with the planning permission.

More than 160 letters of objection to the change of use for the public house have been submitted, to-date, to Mid Devon District Council.

At the last meeting of Crediton Hamlets Parish Council, 43 objectors made their views known.

Councillor Andy Cole proposed an extension to the planning consideration period and that a public meeting be held in Yeoford with the MDDC planning officer (Simon Trafford) present to answer questions about the plan.

This was agreed by the council and the meeting with Mr Trafford will now take place on July 25, beginning at 6.30pm.

To view details of the planning application (17/00932/FULL Change of use of public house to dwelling | Mare and Foal The Village Yeoford Crediton Devon EX17 5JD), visit the Mid Devon District Council website: www.middevon.gov.uk .

• Do you have a view on the change of use plan for the Mare and Foal from a pub to residential?

Share your views with fellow “Courier” readers. Write a letter, suitable for publication and with your name and address, to: The Editorial Manager, “Crediton Courier”, 102 High Street, Crediton EX17 3LF. Alternatively email your letter, with the required information, to: [email protected] .