PLANNING permission has been given to turn a pub in Wycombe Marsh into seven flats.

The Disraeli Arms in Ford Street closed in 2012 and has been vacant since.

Wycombe District Council has given planning permission to The Disraeli House Property Ltd to turn it into two two bed flats and five one bed flats.

The planning application was approved under powers delegated to the Head of Planning and Sustainability at Wycombe District Council.

Ray Farmer, Wycombe District Councillor for the Ryemead area, said along with Trevor Snaith, who is also councillor for the area, they supported the plans to convert it when they were first put forward.

He said: "The simple thing is a lot of pubs are closing, I know we would like to keep them all, but there is not enough trade to go around to keep them all.

"In the Wycombe Marsh area there are several pubs. Over the years we have lost one or two including The Halfway House a few years ago."

But he said they only supported it if there was a decent Community Infrastructure Levy from the developers which could go towards the Wrights Meadow Centre, which is being built behind the retail park.

Cllr Farmer said he was disappointed to see the contribution was lower than expected at around £40,000.

He said a few residents raised concerns that the flats would be overlooking their homes, but this went back to the applicants, who amended the plans.

Other pubs in the area include The Junction, The General Havelock, The Rifle Butts and The King George V.