The history of a pub at the heart of controversial plans has been looked at with a fine tooth comb.

As previously reported, the Jolly Woodman near Burnham Beeches, closed its doors as a public house in January after a slump in trade.

Hindu group GB Shri Raghavendra Swami Brundavan has since taken over the site, with the charity raising £700,000 to acquire the property. 

They have applied to turn the site into a place of worship, with the addition of a meditation hall.

With hundreds weighing in on the decision, including residents and the local authority, it is yet to be seen whether the plans will be approved.

Previously the Hindu group's trustees Srihari Gubbi and Prahlad Purohit, said: "We are a very small community. We want to work with the community and give back.

"Although we are from a Hindu sector we do not restrict anyone coming into the centre. We want to work as a community."

They stated that they hoped to put on activities for the community and clarified that the building would act on appointments only during the week with a weekly worship on Saturday evening.

READ MORE: More information must be submitted as current Jolly Woodman plans 'unacceptable'

In Buckinghamshire Council's heritage statement on the plans, it is documented how the Jolly Woodman was first built in the 1830s as a beer shop and garden.

It was later given a licence in 1832 under the 1830 Beer Act which introduced the concept of the beer house.

It is believed that the building has not undergone any significant changes since it was built.

The council have noted that the Jolly Woodman Public House was highlighted as a candidate for the local heritage list under the Buckinghamshire Local Heritage List project.

The heritage report added: "Buckinghamshire has a large number of locally important heritage assets, which contribute positively to the local character and identity of Buckinghamshire, and which are valued by local people.

"By adding these heritage assets to a Local Heritage List, we can ensure their local importance is recognised and taken into account in the planning process."

Once a property or piece of architecture is added to the list, these assets become known as Non-Designated Heritage Assets (NDHAs).

The report continued: "Rural pubs are a key part of the English landscape and they have been under a lot of commercial pressure in recent years — worsened by the impact of COVID-19 across the hospitality industry result of pub closures has been a steady stream of conversions, with many historic features and fittings being lost in the process.

"Sometimes the historic significance of old pubs is only revealed when they are converted to new uses, at a point where the significance of a pub as a place where community comes together, is already lost."

The report goes on to say that the signage is part of the building's historic interest and show be retained.

However, the new owners have already removed the signage on the front of the building.

Overall, the council heritage statement concludes: "The proposal would cause harm to the significance of a non-designated heritage asset.

"The application does not comply with the relevant heritage policy and therefore unless there are sufficient planning reasons, it should be refused for this reason."