Controversial plans to demolish the only pub in a Nottinghamshire village have been refused. The Gardeners Inn, in Cossal, near Ilkeston, was closed in February this year, with plans submitted to knock the building down and build five detached houses.
Former landlady Sue Maxwell, who had run The Gardeners Inn since 2015, found out the pub had been sold to two new landlords, who intended on redeveloping the site, in July 2021. After her lease expired in February this year the pub was fenced off and boarded up.
However, a notice of refusal was issued by Broxtowe Borough Council on December 15. But the long-term future of the site remains unclear. The reason for refusal given in a council document read: "Insufficient evidence to justify the loss of a community facility has been submitted to demonstrate that there is no longer a need for a public house in this location."
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The application was first brought before Broxtowe Borough Council's planning committee on September 7 with a recommendation to refuse the application. Councillors deferred making a decision on the application to provide local residents the opportunity to buy the pub and for the applicant to submit a viability assessment and a coal mining risk assessment.
The Gardeners Inn was previously listed as an asset of community value, status which means it was given additional protection against development. But in 2021 it was removed from the list as it was judged that there was no evidence of realistic continued use as a pub.
In a planning document, Swish architecture, on behalf of applicant Matt Eley, said: "This design and access statement has demonstrated that the proposed development is in accordance with both national and local planning policy. The proposal builds on an approved layout for the creation of five houses on the site which has been demonstrated to satisfactorily accommodated on the site with adequate off-street parking, and without detriment to residential amenity or the character of the area."
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