A PUB has won its four-year battle to expand on green belt land.

The Gun pub, in London Road, Pitsea, will get a function room after a cross-party group of councillors unanimously went against the recommendation of officers.

Basildon Council’s planning committee decided to overrule guidelines and allow the development on green belt land, because of the site’s location, close to the A13.

It comes after five earlier expansion applications were all thrown out.

Landlady Lynn Moheni, who previously said she could have to close the pub if the latest application was refused, said: “I think the councillors saw we had special circumstances.

“When you have got one person deciding on an application sometimes they can’t see the bigger picture, so I’m really glad it went to the committee.

“Some residents went and spoke to show them what we are really about. We’re by a main road, so we’re not being detrimental to the environment.

“This expansion will help us keep going and develop as a business. Pubs are shutting down every day and there isn’t a lot of choice in this area, so we’re part of the community.”

Mrs Moheni, 47, and husband Abi, 57, bought the derelict pub in 2010 and spent £450,000 refurbishing it with a children’s playground and a Persian restaurant.

Two years ago they took their battle to build a 20 bedroom hotel on the site to appeal, but a Government planning inspector sided with Basildon Council.

Plans for the function room, which could be used for wakes and parties, were refused at the beginning of the year, but the couple came back with a revised application.

Committee member David Harrison, Ukip councillor for Wickford North, said: “Although the pub is located within the green belt, with the A13 at the back of it it’s hardly a greenfield site and we felt as a community pub is serves a very important purpose.”

Tory councillor Stephen Hillier, who represents Langdon Hills, added: “We felt there were special circumstances as we can’t see the extension affecting the openness of the green belt.

“We’re also securing the economic sustainability of the business and preserving it for that part of the community.”

Other pubs in the area have struggled to survive. The 80 year-old Railway Hotel, in High Road, Pitsea, was knocked down in 2013 to make way for the £30million Pitsea regeneration and the Bull Inn, in London Road, was put up for sale earlier this year.