A controversial businessman has been given the green light to turn a former pub into flats.

Owner of the Newsome Tap, Stuart Smith, caused uproar when he bought the former Newsome Working Men’s Club in 2014 and swiftly turfed out the bowlers.

The century-old green was fenced off with Mr Smith revealing plans to build housing on the land off St John’s Road.

Bowlers and Newsome councillors say there is a covenant protecting the green from development and in October 2015 they staged a protest, taking an angle grinder to break through the spike-topped metal fencing Mr Smith installed around the green.

A year ago, after months of bitter wrangling, Mr Smith back-tracked on this threat, claiming his late grandfather Frank came to him in a dream and told him to leave the bowling green alone.

Stuart Smith, owner of former Newsome WMC and the bowling green he is planning to remove
Stuart Smith, owner of former Newsome WMC and the bowling green he is planning to remove

But in the past few months the green has been wrecked by development work on the site following approval of a plan to convert the pub into a single house.

On Thursday afternoon, despite concerns about Mr Smith’s behaviour, his plan to turn the pub building into six two-bed flats instead of a house was given the go-ahead.

Councillors on a Kirklees Council planning sub-committee said they were unhappy with what had gone on but admitted it had no bearing on this application.

The future of the green is unknown.

The fenced off bowling green at the former Newsome WMC

Pitching for approval, Mr Smith said the flats and the off-street parking he would create, would bring “immeasurable benefit” to the area.

Clr Mohan Sokhal said: “This applicant hasn’t shown any respect to the neighbours.

“There’s rubbish everywhere and how has the damage been done to the bowling green.”

Clr Bernard McGuin said: “I have concerns about the bowling green but that’s got nothing to do with why we’re here today.”

Clr Rob Walker questioned whether future access to the green could be a condition of approval.

Kirklees Council member for Colne Valley Clr. Rob Walker.

A Kirklees planning official said it could not.

Clr Sheikh Ullah added: “The site looks absolutely horrible but we’ve got to make the best of a bad situation.”

Chairman of the committee, Clr Terry Lyons, summed up and said: “It’s a sad affair, the place is an utter mess but that’s not the planning issue here.”

Mr Smith already has the green light to convert the premises into one house but said that apartments was a more viable option.

A toilet block and barrel store will be demolished to allow for off-street parking.