Villagers look like they have won their battle to keep a 500-year-old pub after plans to turn it into a home were thrown out.

An application to change the use of the Kings Head, off Chapel Road, Ridgewell, has been rejected by Braintree Council’s planning officers who deemed the pub a “valued facility”.

The pub has been closed since March 2016 and owner Dawn Brailsford has lived inside the property since August 2014.

Her application was strongly objected to by a dozens of residents in Ridgewell and the parish council had also asked for the application to be refused.

The officer’s report outlining the decision to reject the plans delivered a damning assessment of the applicant’s failed attempts to sell the pub.

Ms Brailsford had argued limited interest from potential buyers demonstrated the pub was no longer a viable business and thus should be used as a home instead. The report states: “The council considers that the pub is a valued local facility and this has been demonstrated by the representations received form residents and the parish council.

“It is considered that the marketing exercise has been limited in terms of how and where the property has been advertised for sale.

“Furthermore it has not been demonstrated that the property has been marketed at a realistic price and on this basis a lack of interest from potential buyers is not unexpected.

“The lack of interest in this case does not therefore demonstrate conclusively that the pub is no longer viable.It has not been demonstrated that sufficient attempts have been made to maintain a viable public house business or that diversification of the business has been considered.”

Ms Brailsford had a similar application to change the use of the Kings Head rejected in February 2017.

She now has six months to appeal the decision.

Braintree Council has confirmed no enforcement notice reordering the reopening of the pub has been sent to the pub owner.

A spokesman said: "Our Planning Enforcement Team will liaise with the Kings Head advising them of their options going forward following the refusal of planning consent. No decision has been made yet in regards to taking enforcement action.”