PROPOSALS to change the use of a former pub in a North Yorkshire village to a home have been re-submitted to North Yorkshire Council in a bid to break a 'stalemate' position.
The Black Swan, in Main Street, Thornton Le Moor, near Northallerton obtained planning permission for alterations and extensions to the public house and the construction of three dwellings with garages in November 2018.
Work commenced in mid-October 2021 with the levelling of the site and the laying of foundations for all three units.
Two units have been completed, but due to a planning clause attached to the original application, the units cannot be occupied until the third unit is completed.
However, progress was adversely affected by Covid, such as the increase in the cost of construction, accessing labour, and the demand for village pubs.
The project was put on indefinite hold, with the consequential effects of the continued visual decline of the building and the adverse effect on the character and appearance of the street scene, and the living conditions of residents who access their homes from the back of the pub.
The owners of the Black Swan, which is an Asset of Community Value, have previously sought interest in the community buying or renting the pub, but no expressions of interest were made.
The owners intend to re-offer the pub to the parish council ahead of this subsequent planning application – or to be convert the pub into a home.
The landowner also hopes to delete the planning clause which has been preventing the development from being completed.
According to a planning statement provided by The Plan Shop Architects on behalf of the applicant: "It is felt that this is an unsustainable situation and the purpose of this application is to unlock this stalemate.
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"This would not only assist in providing much needed smaller dwellings within the village, but would also have a much better outlook to the occupants of the several residential properties that abut the site to the rear, and ultimately the occupants of the new dwellings.
"The pub has been empty for more than six years and has an extremely run down and neglected appearance, which does nothing to enhance the quality of the street scene in the centre of the village.
"This application seeks to allow the pub to be converted to a dwelling in addition to allowing all three houses to the rear of the pub to be built and occupied."
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