Villagers angry over pub demolition approval

Developers plan to build affordable homes at the site

Residents in a Nottinghamshire village have warned their community will be left with “absolutely nothing” after plans to demolish a pub were approved.

Manfield District Council's planning committee has granted permission for The Three Lions in Meden Vale to be flattened and replaced by 41 homes.

Following the decision, on Monday, former independent district councillor Phil Shields told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It takes away virtually the only community asset this village has got left.”

The pub closed in January 2022 and Mr Shields was part of a campaign to protect it as ‘asset of community value’.

However nobody then came forward to run the venue and developer Shape Land and Property Ltd earmarked it for a complex of affordable flats flats, bungalows and houses.

The district council said the pub was “no longer viable”.

Mr Shields said: “It [the village] has now got absolutely nothing.

"The reports say there are plenty of other facilities nearby but the people of Meden Vale will now have to walk a minimum of two miles to their local pub because this takes that away.

“It’s certainly not going to enhance the village.”

Homes 'outweigh loss'

There were six objections to the loss of the pub and the impact on the village.

However, in report, the applicant said the former pub facilities were “considerably inferior to those required by a modern customer” and would take £225,000 to bring up to standard.

Other objections to the scheme included fears local services were getting “overwhelmed”, including medical services, GP practices and “oversubscribed” village schools and road safety concerns.

The council said it would ask for financial contributions from the applicant to address the concerns.

It said the impact of the loss of the pub would be outweighed by the benefits of the new homes.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]