Pub-goers fighting to save their local have been dealt a blow, after developers were given the go ahead to knock it down and build three blocks of flats.

After more than 150 years as a Chessington pub, the Harrow in Leatherhead Road will be bulldozed and turned into 21 social housing flats.

Staff said no closing date has been set, but believe it could be several years before developer Hadley Homes starts building work.

Neighbours campaigned to halt the development but councillors reluctantly approved the application last week, saying they had no grounds to refuse it.

A Government planning inspector, who ruled on a previous application last year, did not believe that losing the pub “should be held to stand in the way of a scheme addressing the borough’s need for additional housing”.

It was instead turned down because of a lack of affordable housing, something which was addressed this time.

Jim Taylor, vice-chairman of Chessington and District Residents’ Association, said: “Commercially, pubs come and go but it does leave a big hole now that the White Hart has also gone.

“We have to accept that it is no longer financially viable but what it is replaced with is ugly and not suitable for purpose.

“There is no amenity space, there’s nowhere for children to play. They’ll be trapped in their small rooms, 10ft across, stuck in front of the television all day because there is no other safe place.”

Councillor Mary Reid, South of the Borough neighbourhood committee chairman, disliked the plans because only four of the 15 family homes had ground floor access.

She said: “There’s nothing legally to stop us refusing it, but it would go to appeal and we would lose. It would cost us money and the council’s reputation would be sullied.”

First records of the Harrow are from 1851 and in the 1930s it was a popular gathering place for the west Surrey hunt, which had stables next door.

More recently, it was a Harvester restaurant, but was bought by Hadley Homes six years ago and continued trading while it applied for planning permission.

A spokesman from Paragon Community Housing Group, which will run the flats, said the criticisms of the development are unjustified and all the flats meet Government design and quality standards.

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