AN OXFORDSHIRE village could finally have a pub again as part of a development that includes building eight houses on the Green Belt and a new 12-room hotel.

An application to reopen The Waggon and Horses in Culham was submitted earlier this month to South Oxfordshire District Council following calls from Culham Parish Council, which contacted building owner Morrells Farming Ltd asking if it would consider reopening the historic public house.

A letter by DPDS consulting group, on behalf of Morrells Farming, said adding the housing and hotel, as well as an expansion of dining facilities, was the only way to secure the future of the business, explaining: “In the view of our client, it is unlikely that if the premises where refurbished without providing for a more sustainable form of income it would not be in a position to trade successfully in current market conditions.”

Documents submitted with the application state the parish council and applicant view the development as constituting a ‘very special circumstances’ to build on the Green Belt.

It said: “The Waggon & Horses public house presently sits vacant, idle and is subject to graffiti and vandalism.

"Refurbishing the public house and the other financial enabling aspects of the development package in order to sustain its future viability would bring a much needed community asset back into beneficial use.”

Parish council chairman Sam Casey-Rerhaye said councillors were keen to see the pub reopen and had provision for around 10 new houses in the village as part of its community led plan.

She added: "The village currently does not have a pub and that is something the community wants to see change."

The pub can trace its origins back to the 18th century when in 1795 it was recorded as one of three public houses in Culham, which also including the Nag’s Head, since reclassified as being in Abingdon. The Waggon and Horse closed in 2015.

A design and access statement said building eight houses, along with a new access road, on Green Belt land at the site was an essential feature of making the project happen.

It said: “The housing element is incorporated to provide the capital funding for the project. The housing element is therefore a vital part of the overall scheme.

“The hotel accommodation block together with the extended and refurbished public house will generate jobs in the area and the public house will once again become the focal point for the community of Culham.”

The application is currently out for consultation until October 5, with a decision expected by December 10.