There will be a public inquiry into whether the former Cabinet pub in Reed can be turned permanently into a house, it has been announced.

The Save The Cabinet Action Group has been fighting to have the only pub in the village restored since it was bought by a housing developer in 2016.

Mike Howes, chair of the Save The Cabinet Action Group, which launched a petition for a public hearing amassing 1,400 signatures, said: “We are pleased that the Planning Inspectorate has decided to hold a hearing.

“It is only right that there should be a public airing of the issues, given the level of interest there has been in this case. We expect many of The Cabinet’s supporters will want to attend.

“This is the next major step on the road towards rescuing our lovely old pub. Our campaign will now focus on making the best possible case in support of The Cabinet. And by next Tuesday, May 1, we need supporters to write to the Inspectorate asking for the appeal to be dismissed.”

The housing developer’s stance is that the former pub is now his family home and he has had no offers from the community to turn it back into a pub.

The date for the hearing is expected in due course.

Members of the public can make representations to the Planning Inspectorate here https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?Caseid=3188914&CoID=3178512