A village's old poolhouse will be the home a village coffee shop which previously operated in a pub last year.

The Village Coffee Shop based in Launton has been given permission to convert the Old Poolhouse in West End into a new community cafe.

Owner Jen Walker hopes to open the new coffee shop this summer as the work starts on preparing to transform the the Old Poolhouse site.

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The coffee shop was first opened by Ms Walker using the Launton Arms as its base and operated there for six months before parting ways.

Plans for the move were revealed last September as a petition was launched in their pursuit to secure the new premises.

The application went on to receive around 100 comments of support and hundreds of signatures.

Ms Walker said: ”We are over the moon and would like to thank everyone who supported the application- it’s down to them.

Oxford Mail: Anna and Jen Walker Anna and Jen Walker (Image: Unknown)“We are delighted with the comments and look forward to offering the community great coffee and support.  

“We would love to be able to open sometime in the summer but we have some work to do to prepare. 

“As far as we understand we now have to submit further plans for approval and we are currently trying to understand this process.”

Approval was granted on condition that cycling parking facilities are provided, no amplified music is to be played externally and the road area at the bottom of West End is to be used as its intended use of a turning circle and not a parking area.

Launton Parish Council supported the application but highlighted Oxfordshire County Council Highway Officer's response surrounding the parking area.

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The council said the area is “habitually used” as a parking area.

It also asked to have clarification as to what the change of use classification would be altered to.

The opening times of the café are restricted to 9am to 4pm from Monday to Friday with no time allocated Saturday, Sunday and public holidays.

The coffee shop previously hosted a weekly 'knit and natter', fundraised for the Bicester Food Bank and hosted a “chat and natter” table as part of the Nationwide Chatty Cafe Scheme.

A statement on the approval documents reads: “The proposed development would deliver significant social benefits that outweigh the environmental harm that would result in terms of increased human activity in this quiet and rural location.

“Economic benefits would also be derived from the provision of employment within the village.

“The proposal would not result in harm to the visual amenities of the area, residential amenity or highway safety.

“Further the development would not cause harm to protected species or their habitat.

“The development is therefore considered to be sustainable and is recommended for approval.”