Agenda item

Officers introduced this report and made the following comments:

•          The proposed development was for a change of use from a pub to 5 flats including the reinstatement of the basement of Eldon Terrace

•          Details of the site were shown to the Committee including where the 1st Floor extension would be added

•          The proposal would include a single storey rear extension to Unit 2 with a subdivided rear garden and a bike store at the back

•          The 1st Floor windows would now be obscure glazed with a vertical timber screen

•          The basement would operate as a normal residential basement

•          Since the original proposal for Unit 2 has not been deemed acceptable, it had been extended into a big full glazed door. The flat would not be occupied until the screen was in place

•          There were some concerns about the impact of the development on local parking

•          Members’ attention was drawn to Policy DM6 which stated that such a development should only be permitted if the former pub was no longer economically viable or there were a diverse range of public houses within the locality, as well as requiring any extensions or alterations to not create any harm to the amenity

•          The pub had been unsuccessfully marketed since January 2019 and had been closed prior to the lockdown due to COVID-19 in March 2020

•          The Rising Sun, Victoria Park and Windmill Hill Pubs, amongst other pubs, were already nearby the site

•          The pub had been added as an asset to the Community Value Register for 2008/09 and had been the subject of crowd funding but could not find anyone to take it on

•          The applicant had met with a community group and had agreed to turn down a major offer for the site to allow them to raise funds for the pub but they had been unable to do so

•          The Transport Team were satisfied that this was a car free development with on street parking available

•          The refuse, recycling and cycle storage provision were considered acceptable

•          All flats were considered a suitable size

•          There would be no impact on trees

•          There would be a construction management plan

•          The development was considered sustainable

•          The principle of conversion to flats was in accordance with the policy

In response to members’ questions, officers made the following points:

•          The basement would not be part of the flat but would be converted back to a separate residential use

•          No comparison was required against CAMRA’s criteria (the Campaign Group for Real Ale)

•          The site was a 400/500 metre walk uphill

•          Since there were other offers available, there was no further financial requirement

Members made the following comments:

·         The issue of loss of privacy now seemed to be solved with the introduction of a timber fence with a missing panel which would allow the occupier to see out but not allow anyone to look in

·         The applicant’s actions had been reasonable in this matter. There were other pubs in the area. Therefore, the application should be approved

•    Whilst it was disappointing that this pub was no longer viable, it had been closed prior to COVID-19 and the community had been given lots of opportunity to save it but had been unable to do so. Therefore, it should reluctantly be supported

•    If it remained as a pub, it might in future become part of a chain and the Committee were not in a position to stop this. Therefore, with a heavy heart, the application should be supported.

Councillor Mike Davies moved, seconded by Councillor Tom Brook and upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED: (5 for, 3 against, 1 abstention) that the application be approved.