House plan for 'vital' village pub thrown out

The Wheelwrights Arms in Pencombe has been closed for 14 months

Plans to turn a vacant 16th Century village pub into a house have been thrown out following opposition from the community.

The proposal to convert the Wheelwrights Arms in Pencombe, Herefordshire, into a four-bedroom home drew more than 70 objections in a parish with a population of about 250.

The venue has been closed since September 2024 but it was described as a "vital" part of the village by those opposed to the plans.

Greenaway Planning Ltd, agent for the applicants Mr DK and Mrs W Griffiths, had said the use of the building as a pub or community facility was not viable.

But Herefordshire Council's planning office said there was not enough evidence to show the pub was no longer fit for purpose.

At Wednesday's meeting of the authority's planning committee, Tim Burge, vice chairman of Pencombe Group Parish Council, said it was "overwhelmingly clear" residents were opposed to the plans.

"It [the pub] is a vital piece of our community, bringing together people from different generations and walks of life", he added.

'Not viable'

In a statement submitted with the planning application, Greenaway said the pub had been up for sale since January 2023, when it was still open.

It said interest in purchasing the building had been secured, including from community groups, but "no offers have progressed to completion".

"It is in these circumstances that a planning application has been made for change of use, in order to grant a new, viable lease of life to what amounts to a building of local historic interest," the statement said.

It concluded: "In relation to the loss of a community facility, the application has provided conclusive evidence that use as a public house or alternative (or co-located) community facility is not viable."

During the meeting, Burge said local efforts to buy the pub had been "frustrated" by the owner's "unrealistic expectation on price".

Neither the applicants nor the agent attended the committee, though six opponents of the proposal did.

Members voted unanimously to refuse the application on the grounds it would "result in the loss of a public house which is a valued community facility".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.