A large fence surrounding a former pub which ‘wholly spoils’ a village’s appearance has been accepted by North Somerset Council, four months after it was installed.

Tout Ltd has been granted retrospective planning permission for a near 8ft-tall fence which borders the Lord Nelson in Cleeve.

The fence was installed by Tout – which hopes to demolish the building and replace it with a convenience store, petrol station and pub café – to combat fly tipping, but villagers slammed the ‘over-the-top’ hoarding which was raised without planning permission.

The owner was forced to submit a planning application, which has been approved for a temporary period of two years.

Villager Ian Fergusson, in May, said: “Visually and functionally, it is completely over the top.

“It wholly spoils the central village setting and creates significant hazards for pedestrians on this busy section of the A370.”