A micro-brewery run from the garage of a house has been refused the permission it needs for a covered outdoor drinking area - despite already building it.

Broadtown Brewery, set up in 2019, built a canopied decking area with parking facilities and toilets to allow it to serve drinkers during the Covid-19 restrictions.

But the company - based in the village of Broad Town, south of Swindon - did not get planning permission for that development and its application has been turned down.

In the application the brewery said: “The additional facilities would enable the business to provide the outdoor sale and tasting of beer and would include the provision of The Hop Gardens and outdoor toilets as ancillary facilities in connection with the business.

The additional ancillary facilities will help to re-establish and maintain the financial viability aspect of the brewery business within Broad Town and serve the local and wider community.

"The additional facilities have created local employment within the community. The micro-brewery currently employs three members of staff on a permanent basis and six temporary/casual workers.

"The applicant has some local support for the proposals. The micro-brewery distributes beers to local public houses which plays a part in supporting the local economy.”

In the Wiltshire Council planning officer's report, of 361 communications about the plan sent of the council by neighbours and residents 457 were in favour of the development and four were against - citing noise nuisance and increased traffic.

But the planning officer wrote: “The vast majority of the representations received are from interested parties who reside in neighbouring villages or are some distance away from the development.

“Of importance, representations received from interested parties or residents of neighbouring properties to the development and are affected most directly are of objection or concern.

"Their concerns or objections raised stem from the significant noise impact associated with the development, mainly from live music events and patrons visiting the establishment.”

As a result the planning permission was refused on grounds of the impact of the development on the area and specifically the risk of noise nuisance, especially of live music, on those living closest to the microbrewery.

This year Broadtown Brewery was given a new licence by Wiltshire Council’s licensing committee to serve drinks despite the concerns about noise nuisance to neighbours.