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Brewers Greene King have withdrawn plans to convert the Australian Arms pub in Hamlet Road, Haverhill, into flats and build another six homes on nearby land.

The brewery had submitted the plans earlier this year, along with supporting statements concerning the loss of the pub, the need for new housing and issues of established trees on the site.

Last week the plans came to Haverhill Town Council for their views prior to a decision by St Edmundsbury Borough Council.

The town council objected to the loss of trees which, it said, were classed by the applicants themselves as 'making a significant contribution to the amenity of the area'.

The proposal for the site, described as 48-50 Hamlet Road was considered to provide 'an
opportunity to enhance the character and appearance of the street scene along this
section of Hamlet Road', the supporting statement said.

Regarding the closure of the pub, the statement said: "The loss of the former Australian Arms public house will not impact on the local community or those economically or physically disadvantaged as there are a number of alternative facilities both within walking distance and accessible by public transport from the application site."

But this week the application was withdrawn before it came to the development control committee for decision.

The Australian Arms is the only pub with that name in Britain, and is thought to have received the name from Irish navvies who used the pub while building Sturmer Arches viaduct and that part of the Colne Valley Railway line, and moved on after that job to one in Australia.