The owner of a south Suffolk pub has been left "very disappointed" after community leaders refused its application to develop its business.

The plans, for The Red Lion in East Bergholt, involved constructing a storage building with two bed and breakfast rooms above, and five two-bed homes in part of the beer garden.

The project would also see the car park alongside the pub - which is owned by the pub but leased to the parish council, which runs it as a free public car park - reconfigured and the current toilets demolished and new ones built. 

But following representations from the parish council, Babergh planning committee refused the plans.

The parish council had "strong objections to the changes of the public car park and the new dwellings" and the planning committee refused the application because of the car park changes and said the homes "would be unacceptable because the site would become cramped from overdevelopment."

Jonathan Peachey, owner of the Red Lion, said he was "very disappointed" with the outcome.

He felt the planning application provided a better layout for the car park with the same number of bays as before.

Coach parking would also be much improved, especially for able-bodied and disabled passengers. This was a focus for planners in their report who described the current bays as "unusable for more than one coach" and "too small and severely restrict disabled access around the coaches and access for luggage".

Mr Peachey said: "A wall was knocked over recently by a vehicle trying to park and the masonry, weighing a quarter of a tonne, falling over could have seriously hurt someone. The improved layout would lead to the car park being used to alleviate parking on The Street, supporting the village and the adjacent businesses which need help to protect their viability - mine included.

"This was the intention when we granted the 20-year fixed-term lease to the parish council.

"The proposed layout would stop people parking at the entrance to the car park which is a constant issue and prevents delivery vehicles that are essential for my business and others from using the car park."