A campaign is being run by villagers who don’t want to see a pub car park and beer garden built on.

The 400-year-old Butchers Arms in St Ive has been empty since early 2014.

Plans have been submitted for a new pub and restaurant, together with two new retail units with flats above on the site of the pub’s former car park, play area and garden.

After objections at parish level, owner Grant Johnston lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate.

Since then, Cornwall’s East Planning Committee has made a recommendation of approval to the inspectorate.

In another twist to the story, the Butcher’s Arms Preservation Society successfully nominated the pub to be listed as an Asset of Community Value – meaning that if the property were to go on the market, the society would have first refusal to buy it.

But society members are not happy with the way in which Cornwall Council assessed the land surrounding the building during the nomination process.

The group says that the council ignored the pub’s car park and beer garden, as well as land at the rear.

The society says it has made a formal complaint to the council about the process and will re-apply for the car park, beer garden and the other land to be included in the listing of the Butchers Arms.