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Planning Application- The Old Boot

As we expected, a Planning Application has been made to Herefordshire Council for a proposed new 3 bed house and partial change of use of the pub garden.

Details of the application are at item P222734/F of the Planning Search website Planning Search – Herefordshire Council.

There are various supporting documents to the application, notably a design and access statement and a covering letter. Please read all the documents for a full description of the proposal,

but in brief, it:

The covering letter explains that changes have been made to the original proposals discussed at the pre-application stage with the Council ‘with the intention to pursue successful redevelopment of the existing Public house business and keep it as a commercially viable business and valuable local asset’ [quote from letter]

The application makes minimal reference to any alterations to the pub interior, and only says further details will be developed once a Pub tenant can be found.

No timescales are given or offered.

CWIHL response

The team have written a letter of objection to the Planning Department of Herefordshire Council.

It was first sent to Wellington Parish Council where it was discussed at their meeting on Thursday 1st December 2022. To read the full text of the letter please see the Documents Page of this website.

We are strongly opposing the application on a number of grounds -

• The reduction, by almost half, of the garden will reduce the attractiveness of the pub to families and other customers, negatively impacting its future viability.
• The creation of a new dwelling, separated only by a fence from the pub will create a source of complaint on noise and nuisance scores; it will make sale appeal of the new house questionable.
• The shared access proposal promises to be a serious inconvenience both for pub customers and the would be owners of the new house.
• There are no firm plans to re-open the pub. The ability to find a new tenant is likely to be seriously affected by the diminished attractiveness of the pub as a result of the proposed development. This in turn will affect its viability.

Other arguments will also be deployed; in particular, we will be giving a full account of the Village’s efforts to raise the purchase price to buy the pub and the significant contribution you made to this. We will be talking to CAMRA about its support for our stand.

A full response will be circulated once it is finalised.

How you can help

The Planning process provides an opportunity for everyone to comment on the proposals; this is explained on the Council’s website at Comment on a planning application

The closing date is 15 December 2022.

It is important that we make full use of this so that there can be no doubt about the Village’s opinion on this matter.

You can make use of some of the points that we have detailed above, or you may have some particular objections that you wish to convey.

If you want to discuss any aspects of this, you may contact us at info@wellingtonpub.org

The application will also be considered at a Parish Council meeting and this will be another opportunity to voice concerns.

Ongoing

We will continue to keep you informed via the website and other social media

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