Pub dream still alive for villagers as housing plan is rejected
OUTCRY over efforts to convert an 18th Century village pub into a home has swayed councillors to reject the bid. The closure of the Vane Arms in August 2019 saw Long Newton villagers mount a campaign to save it – with the pub granted special status last year. But plans to convert the Darlington Road pub and create a three-bedroom property in the rear beer garden had threatened to thwart the dream. More than 100 people objected to the plans ahead of Wednesday’s planning committee. And Stockton councillors backed their cause by 12 votes to one after more than two hours of deba...