A pub looks set to lose the latest battle in its fight to save its new car park.

Planning officers at Braintree Council have recommended the White Hart’s retrospective planning application for its new hard floor car park be refused It would be the second time the Great Yeldham pub’s owner Matthew Mason has had a retrospective application refused.

A report put together by planning officers says approving the plans would set an “unwelcome and inappropriate” precedent for future applications relating to Grade II listed buildings.

The old gravel car park was switched to a hard surface to make it more accessible for all customers in January last year after a £100,000 refurbishment of the pub.

But the pub’s owners only had planning permission to install a gazebo and were handed an enforcement notice for carrying out the work back in October.

The report said: “It is considered that the proposal for the retention of the refurbished of car park and grasscrete area and demarcation of both parking bays would be considered an unacceptable form of development within the setting of a Grade II listed building.

“The works undertaken have not reconciled access and conservation needs successfully, with the works having a detrimental impact upon the setting of the listed building.”

Planning officers have suggested alternative surfaces can be installed which would still make the car park accessible.

However, Mr Mason says a fire at the White Hart’s sister pub in Brentwood means he is spending whatever money he has available on repair works there.

He said: “Our finances have been stretched by the tragic fire so we can’t afford to change it.

“Part of me still hopes common sense will prevail. The car park was a massive investment but this was never about financial gain.

“We genuinely did it for the customers and to improve our hotel ratings.”

A final decision on the application will be made on Tuesday.