A 75-year-old Enfield pub described as part of the fabric' of the community is to be converted into flats.

The developer has been given the go-ahead to build eight new properties and 16 car parking spaces at the site of The Goat public house, in Forty Hill, which closed in February.

Residents who opposed the project felt the loss of the pub to housing would harm the character of the leafy area at the heart of the Forty Hill Conservation Area.

Christine Walker, 59, said: "I don't like the decision to close The Goat because it is part of the fabric of Enfield and it's been there for donkeys' years. It was a really nice old pub."

A spokesman of the Conservation Advisory Group said: "The proposed new block is inappropriate and does not preserve or enhance the conservation area."

Despite opposition, Enfield Council's planning committee gave the go-ahead to the project earlier this month, bringing a rich history to a close.

Since the 18th century, punters have enjoyed a pint of ale at a pub known as the Goat Tavern, in a large cottage in Four Tree Hill, a few hundred yards from the present site.

In 1929, the landlords decided to use the cottage as a private house and instead built the current mock Tudor building that stands on the Green in Forty Hill.

The council's planning committee defended the development, saying the project would preserve the character and appearance of the area, would not lead to serious traffic problems, and would boost the local authority's housing stock.