THE derelict Passfield Oak will be transformed into new office space after East Hampshire District Council decided that the public house was now "unviable".

The decision last Thursday by the council's south planning committee to grant planning permission to transform the building into office space, has prevented a local company from leaving the district.

The hi-tech company Patapsco, currently based at the High View Business Park in Bordon, had been seeking bigger premises for its operations.

A previous application by the company for the Passfield Oak was due to be decided by appeal, after the district council failed to make a decision within the statutory period.

However, the success of the company's second attempt to gain planning consent meant that the appeal was withdrawn this.

Patapsco director Paul Strawbridge told The Herald that he was very pleased with the district council's decision.

He said that the company, which deals in hi-tech telecommunications equipment, only had some paperwork to sign with the site's owners before it could start its transformation of the pub later this year.

"We think that there is about four months' work to do there, but we hope to finally move in at around New Year.

"Obviously once we move in we will need to settle down but we hope in the first quarter to take on a few more people."

The success of the Patapsco application has spelled the end of an era for Passfield.

In her report to the south planning committee, case officer Julia Mansi said that all the evidence pointed to the fact that the former public house was no longer viable.

She also said that after 18 months of marketing the Passfield Oak, there had been no interest by potential buyers in retaining it as a pub.

"The building is in poor repair, with water penetration, and most of its fixtures and fittings have been removed, including the kitchen.

"The applicant has put forward information regarding the cost of the renovation and that the use of the building as a public house could not have supported such a renovation.

"Given the substantial levels of competition in the area and that the Passfield Oak does not offer anything different in the way of facilities to the other establishments, it is considered that the public house would be unlikely to be a viable concern.

"Refurbishment of the building and bringing it back into use is considered preferable to this prominent building remaining empty."