No legal action on demolition of Cross Guns pub

South Staffordshire Council is yet to consider the planning application to knock down the Cross Guns in Wood Road, Codsall Wood and replace it with 10 houses.

But the pub was demolished even while residents were mounting a campaign for it to be saved. A petition signed by 86 residents wants the pub saved but it has already been knocked down.

All that remains is a sign still advertising the pub's carvery dinners.

The council said it was not intending to take action because the pub was not on green belt land.

Council spokesman Jamie Angus said: "We became aware that the former Cross Guns pub had been demolished just before Christmas.

"This was in advance of a decision being made by the council on the application to redevelop the site for new homes, which the owners submitted late last year. The application is likely to go before our committee by the end of next month. Although far from ideal, given the site is not in the green belt, we're unlikely to take any action at this stage."

Deputy chairman of the Codsall Wood Show and Village Committee, Hugh Clark said: "The developer, in demolishing the Cross Guns before receiving planning approval, has totally disregarded the views of locals in what could be seen as an apparent attempt to influence the local authority's planning process."

Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, accused developers Tatton Hall Homes of putting their own agenda first. He said: "The developer has been riding roughshod over the local community. It is a completely inappropriate development for the area."

Otto De Weijer, agent for the developer, was unavailable for comment.