IT has been a debate that has raged through Selborne since the first plans were submitted to turn The Queens Hotel, on the High Street, into six residential units, five two-bed apartments and the conversion of the barn into a three-bed apartment.

Owned in more recent years by Punch Taverns but sold by Savills to Derek Warwick Developments, the former 16th Century coaching inn is one of Selborne’s landmark buildings.

At public meetings, to air their views on a plan that would see the end of the only hotel in the village, residents have put forward arguments for and against saving or converting the landmark building which has been a hostelry since the 16th Century.

Those supporting the application, which has got the thumbs down from the parish council, say the residential units would be a good use of an unused building, good environmentally for residents and would breathe life back into the village.

Objectors do not want to see the loss of a significant building which has served the village for many years and was once visited by the Prince of Wales, as well as attracting tourists from all over the world.

One stressed the need “for bed and board” for the many tourists visiting the South Downs National Park and another that the proposed development would alter the view of the village from The Wakes (Gilbert White’s former home), pointing out that, in his opinion, The Queens was a community asset and, furthermore, Selborne needed two pubs.

Selborne Parish Council planners, at their last meeting, agreed to object for several reasons, including the loss of such a landmark building. They also felt the developers had aimed the marketing of the building toward residential rather than retail, pointing out that the pub’s large reception area and dining room had been a social asset and the hotel had brought increased economy to the village.

Parish council chairman Dr Lynne Ravenscroft said she personally would be sorry to lose the hotel, which she has known for the past 50 years.

“It was always a place we liked to go and have a drink or a meal. It was a very social place,” she said.

“It was also a good place for holding meetings as the village hall isn’t always big enough.”

In reflecting that the previous owners had put “a lot of work into the business”, Mrs Ravenscroft added that although the building has now been gutted Selborne has a lot of tourists visiting in the summer and The Queen’s was still the only hotel in the village at which to stay.

East Hampshire District Council chairman David Ashcroft, who is also a Selborne resident, suggested that The Queens was suffering “the same fate as many other hotels and pubs up and down the country” with no-one with money willing to take it on to make it a going concern.

While Japanese knotweed has been discovered in part of the garden, due to be built on as part of the plan, developers Derek Warwick Developments have given an assurance they are eliminating it.

Although located within the South Downs National Park, The Queens Hotel application will come before East Hampshire District Council planners at a date yet to be set.