A proposal to convert a Tamar Valley pub into flats needs to be looked at in more detail, says Cornwall Council’s planning department.

The owners of the Cross House Inn in Metherell have requested pre-application advice on a change of use for the pub and restaurant.

In his response, the planning officer states that pubs are of particular vaule to the rural economy, and that the conversion to five open-market flats would mean the loss of an established business. A more detailed assessment of the pub’s viability would be necessary, he adds, before any decision could be made.