A BUSINESSMAN says his plans to bring a Dursley pub back into the heart of the community have been blocked by a tree.

Geoffrey Billet bought the Kingshill on April 27, with the intention of running the pub side-by-side with his disability vehicle business.

The firm, Mobility Disabled, is currently based in Cambridge.

Mr Billet planned to excavate part of the pub garden to accommodate his vehicles.

“The pub has been losing significant amounts of money over the last four years, despite a number of tenants taking over the property,” said Mr Billet.

“Our business, Mobility Disabled, would move to the Kingshill and help to subsidise the running of the pub as this is the only way of keeping the pub going for the local community.”

But Mr Billet’s plans to remove a portion of the garden have been blocked following moves to protect a tree on the property.

A tree preservation order (TPO) was placed on a Turkey oak in the pub’s garden on May 15.

Mr Billet said: “I want to see the pub come alive again as a community hub, but the tree is standing in our way.

“We need to remove it, to ensure there is enough parking for our vehicles, our customers and customers of the pub.

“By running the pub, we would be able to create 16 full and part-time jobs for the local residents.

“But if I can’t run my business from here then I will not be able to reopen the pub.”

A Stroud District Council spokesman said: “A provisional tree preservation order was served after members of the local community contacted us with concerns that the new owner planned to cut it down.

“The owner has objected to the serving of the order and a report is being prepared for submission to the planning committee.”

A Dursley Town Council spokesman said: “We support the efforts of anyone who is looking to contribute to the community in Dursley, however we would be reluctant for those efforts to be at the expense of any protected trees.”

Mr Billet is also concerned that the tree would drop sap, catkins, leaves and twigs, and birds would drop faeces from it, over his vehicles.

In a letter to Stroud District Council’s planning department he wrote: “It appears that I have paid £531,000 inclusive of VAT plus expenses for what appears to be a white elephant if the tree is allowed to stand.

“For us it’s the tree or the pub - one or the other.”