Plans for vacant pub approved

stag

Plans to erect an annex building at a vacant pub in Little Warford, to create an additional 10 bedrooms, have been approved.

Ribble Valley Inns, who purchased The Stag's Head on Mill Lane in 2013, applied to build the additional rooms in order to make the pub a viable business in the long term - stating that if planning permission for the construction of a detached building was not granted then the scheme would not be financially viable and could result in the building being left vacant.

Despite the scheme being recommended for refusal on the grounds that it represents an inappropriate form of development within the Green Belt, it was unanimously approved by Northern Planning Committee today (Wednesday, 5th May), with conditions on the final design.

Councillor Craig Browne said “It was unanimously approved, but with details of the design to be delegated back to officers to discuss and agree with the applicant. The members wished to support the Stags Head become economically viable once more, but were unhappy with the design of the proposed 10 bedroom annex which was felt to be inappropriate and unsympathetic to the existing building."

A report prepared by the Planning Officer for today's Northern Planning Committee meeting stated "The development represents an inappropriate form of development within the Green Belt for which very special circumstances must be demonstrated that clearly outweigh the harm.

"The development would provide some economic benefits in the form of increased revenue and a slight increased number of people employed over and above the approved scheme. However the social benefits provided by the applicant have not been sufficiently demonstrated.

"The environmental harm in the form of the harm to the Green Belt and the character of the area would clearly outweigh any economic benefits the scheme would provide and so for the application is recommended for a refusal."

The Council received representations from 45 different properties regarding this planning application, the majority of which were in support of the pub reopening.

Ribble Valley Inns is part of the Northcote Group of Companies, co-founded by Head Chef Nigel Haworth and Craig Bancroft, which also includes the Michelin Star restaurant Northcote, near Blackburn.

The planning application can be viewed on the Cheshire East Council website by searching for planning reference 17/0837M.

Tags:
Planning Applications, The Stags Head
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Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Pete Taylor
Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 4:37 pm
Excellent news, a common-sense decision; I look forward to cycling over there for a pint. Cheers!
Graham Peters
Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 5:36 pm
Brilliant - at long last; now how long till it reopens?
Richard Burgess
Wednesday 5th April 2017 at 7:56 pm
Good to know that the sheeps head,as it is locally know is going to reopen again which is very good news,glad someone has seen the right way to go ahead with it.
Manuel Golding
Thursday 6th April 2017 at 10:18 am
Well done Councillors of the NPC. Common sense at last.
This application approval is excellent & realistic news for the immediate community.
Common sense and a sense of community spirit prevailed over the myopia that constantly shrouds the Council's planning officers.
Where such a redevelopment is a necessity for the local community, the planners advice is refusal, ignoring & rather being unable to see the local need.
Other examples abound where refusal of development on Green Belt sites is wanted by the locals but the Council & its officers are only too delighted to approve many hectares of Green Belt to satisfy their developer "friends".
There is obviously no joined up thinking within the department. Or is it something else?