RESIDENTS are putting pen to paper to protest against an appeal to develop three houses on the site of a century-old pub.

The application to redevelop the site where The Stag public house stands in Merry Hill Road, Bushey, was turned down by Hertsmere Borough Council in November.

However, now the developer, Regent Partnership, has appealed and, although members of the Merry Hill Residents' Association are confident the appeal will be dismissed, they are preparing their objections for a government inspector.

A spokesman for the association, Jennifer Kelly, said: "I'm surprised the developer has appealed to the government inspector that application didn't even go to committee stage."

Mrs Kelly, who also helped fight an appeal to demolish two homes and build four houses in Victoria Road last month, admitted each new application and each appeal meant more exhausting work for the association.

She expressed a desire that the developers would "go away and leave us alone".