A GIN distillery will replace the former White Hart pub in Usk, after Monmouthshire council gave plans the green light.

A planning application to convert the former pub on the junction of Bridge Street and Maryport Street into a gin distillery and a two-bedroom flat has been approved.

The distillery occupy the ground floor and will include a training room, a shop and a tasting room. The flat will be on the first floor.

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The Grade II-listed building in Usk town centre had previously been used as a children’s nursery.

In the officer’s report it was noted that the area contained a mixture of commercial and residential properties so the change of use “would not be out of character.”

The report says: “The gin distilling process will be on a small scale, as can be seen in the proposed ground floor layout, and therefore, will not result in noise disturbance to a level which would be harmful.”

However, a condition was included in the approval of the plans to limit the use of industrial processing to gin distilling so that no extra noise or disturbance would be created.

The officer’s report doesn’t put any restrictions on opening hours because that would be a matter for the licensing department.

A license would be needed for the sale of alcohol and live music.

The report says: “Whilst music could disturb neighbours, planning policy seeks to uses which complement the town centre, many of which require music/entertainment (i.e. pubs, bars) which is similar to the proposed use.”