RESIDENTS living near a former Kingswinford pub that will soon be turned into a restaurant and B&B have claimed they were not consulted before the application went before Dudley planners.

The Woodman Inn was given the go-ahead for the change of use at the council's Development Control Committee meeting on November 18, despite residents raising concerns about parking and noise levels for residents of Mount Pleasant.

Objector Reg Flavell, who spoke out at the meeting, has since sent a letter to Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, claiming that many residents closely affected by the changes were not notified by the council.

He wrote: "The council officer asserted that 22 notifications had been sent to local residents. I can state quite categorically that many residents living within 100 feet, some even closer, have received no notification, whilst others living over 100 yards away in another street were notified. We believe that this hardly shows local consultation."

Mr Flavell told the News: "I want to know what his reaction is to the fact that my neighbours and myself were not consulted at all."

The letter was also sent to Dudley South MP Chris Kelly, who in response, has also written to Mr Pickles to raise the matter "at the highest level".

Mr Kelly added: "I will be forwarding Mr Flavell the minister’s response in due course."

Councillor Judy Foster, cabinet member for economic regeneration, said the claims were being looked into.

She said: "The local planning authority has received a letter regarding concerns over the consultation process undertaken for the planning application in relation to The Woodman Inn.

"We are now looking into this matter and we are confident all statutory consultation procedures were followed correctly and we will provide the complainant with a full response in due course."