RESIDENTS in a South Shropshire village are celebrating after plans were approved for a project which will see the only pub in the village reopen following years of closure.

The Pheasant Inn in Neenton closed in 2006, and became uninhabitable having suffered flood damage at Christmas 2009.

Community leaders have worked hard over the past two years to get it open again under community ownership.

This has been made possible through a scheme involving Shropshire Housing.

The body will finance the renovation of the pub, funded through building seven houses, two of which will be affordable and five open market, on land behind the pub.

A community group will take over responsibility for the pub.

“This is excellent news for Neenton and the surrounding area,” said Councillor Robert Tindall who took the proposal through Shropshire Council.

“The Pheasant Inn has been a sorry sight for the past few years and I am really pleased that the hard work of local campaigner John Pickup and his team at Neenton Community Society have pulled this off with the help of many others, including, Shropshire Housing and Shropshire Council.”

Also involved is Ludlow MP Philip Dunne.

“This is exactly the sort of scheme the government had in mind with its community Right to Buy plans, to allow local communities to take responsibility for pubs which provide the heart of the community, where there is proven demand from local people,” he said.

John Pickup of Neenton Community Society said: “We now have funds for about two-thirds of the cost of this project secured,” he said.

“This leaves us about £200,000 to find before we can let contracts but we are hopeful that we will reach this target soon.

“Then we can start work to bring this village pub back to life as the heart of a sustainable rural community with a brighter future.”