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London council protects historic pubs from conversion Councils should protect pubs from development, says drinking lobby group
(about 5 hours later)
A London council has taken action to protect historic pubs by removing development rights that allow them to be converted into shops and homes without planning permission. Councils across the country should protect pubs by barring developers from turning them into shops and flats, the beer drinkers’ lobby group Camra has said, after a London authority said it was stepping in to protect its historic drinking holes.
Wandsworth council in south London has told the owners of 120 pubs that they have to seek approval from the town hall before changing the building’s use or knocking it down. Wandsworth council in south London has told the owners of 120 bars and pubs that they have to seek councillors’ approval before changing the building’s use or knocking it down. Wandsworth said the 120 sites were chosen “due to their historic or architectural value or because they make a positive contribution to their community”.
Each week 21 pubs close their doors for the last time, according to the beer drinkers’ lobby group Camra, and permitted development rights have meant they can be converted to new uses without planning permission. Pubs are currently closing at a rate of 21 a week, according to the latest figures from Camra, and under current regulations they can be converted to new uses without planning permission.
It called on other councils to follow Wandsworth’s lead, but said changes to planning rules were needed to protect the country’s pubs. In London, where the rate of pub closures is running at three per week, high property prices have made pubs increasingly attractive to developers. In 2015, one agent told the Guardian that selling a pub in north London as a potential residential site could attract a price of up to £1m, while selling it as a trading pub it would attract up to £450,000.
In recent years, high property prices have made London pubs increasingly attractive to developers. In 2015, one agent told the Guardian that selling a pub in north London as a development opportunity meant he might be able to ask for £700,000-£1m, while as a trading pub it would attract £350,000-£450,000.
Related: The death and life of the great British pub | Tom LamontRelated: The death and life of the great British pub | Tom Lamont
Wandsworth council said the 120 bars and pubs were chosen “due to their historic or architectural value or because they make a positive contribution to their community”. It has served “article 4 directions” that remove permitted development rights and force owners to get planning consent before any major changes. Colin Valentine, the group’s national chairman, said communities were not getting enough of a say in the process when the pubs were threatened by closure or change of use.
It said in recent years it had lost “thriving pubs ... and each time it’s really hurt the local community”. One, the former Prince of Wales on Battersea Bridge Road, was turned into a mini-supermarket and the council was unable to stop the move, despite being the planning authority. “Camra is campaigning for planning rules to be strengthened so that full planning permission is required before a pub can be demolished or converted to another use.”
He added: “In the meantime, we would like to see every planning authority in the country follow Wandsworth’s exemplary initiative in protecting its pubs and bars ... creating a fair and level playing field for pubs and their customers,” he said.
It called on other councils to follow Wandsworth’s lead, but said changes to planning rules were needed to protect the country’s pubs. Wandsworth has protected the 120 pubs by serving “article 4 directions” that remove permitted development rights – which allow redevelopment of a site without planning permission – and forcing owners to get planning consent before any major changes.
Wandsworth’s deputy council leader, Jonathan Cook, said in recent years the borough had lost “thriving pubs ... and each time it’s really hurt the local community”. He cited the example of the former Prince of Wales on Battersea Bridge Road, which had been turned into a mini-supermarket, and said the council had been unable to stop the move despite being the planning authority.
Other councils have acted to protect individual pubs, but Wandsworth is the first to take action on this scale. It said the move could be copied across the country to help protect the pub trade.Other councils have acted to protect individual pubs, but Wandsworth is the first to take action on this scale. It said the move could be copied across the country to help protect the pub trade.
Wandsworth’s deputy council leader, Jonathan Cook, said: “Wandsworth’s pubs are now the best protected in the entire country and have a genuine defence against the relentless spread of mini-supermarkets and estate agents.” “Wandsworth’s pubs are now the best protected in the entire country and have a genuine defence against the relentless spread of mini-supermarkets and estate agents,” said Cook. “I very much hope that other councils will follow our lead by adopting pub-friendly planning policies and then stripping away permitted development rights from their local inns, bars and taverns.”
He added: “I very much hope that other councils will follow our lead by adopting pub-friendly planning policies and then stripping away permitted development rights from their local inns, bars and taverns. This could be a turning point for our nation’s superb but vulnerable pub trade, and Wandsworth is more than ready to share its approach with other authorities.” Earlier this year, developers who knocked down a historic pub in north London, the Carlton Tavern in Maida Vale, in order to redevelop the land were ordered to rebuild it brick by brick.
Previously, councils in England have used asset of community value listings to try to protect pubs. These give community groups an opportunity to buy pubs being sold off, but Camra said they did not go far enough.
Colin Valentine, national chairman of Camra, said: “Communities are not getting enough of a say in the process when the pubs they treasure are threatened by closure or change of use. Permitted development rights create loopholes that are too often exploited by property developers riding roughshod over the spirit of planning laws.”
He added that rules should be strengthened so full planning permission was required before a pub could be demolished or converted to another use.
“In the meantime, we would like to see every planning authority in the country follow Wandsworth’s exemplary initiative in protecting its pubs and bars by removing permitted development rights, creating a fair and level playing field for pubs and their customers,” he said.
Earlier this year developers who knocked down a historic pub to redevelop the land were ordered to rebuild it brick by brick.