Planning Policy, Design & Access Statement

Application for Planning Permission: Change of Use of Part of Ground Floor of Public House (Sui Generis) to 2 No. Self- Contained Serviced Apartments (Use Class C3) (Ref: Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as amended 2020)

King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South BS10 7RZ

February 2021 King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, BS10 7RZ

CONTENTS

Page

1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. 3

2 The Site and its Surroundings, and Relevant Recent Planning History.. 5

3 The Proposal and Design and Access Considerations………………….. 8

4 Planning Policy Context………………………………………………………… 10

5 Policy Analysis and Conclusions……………………………………………... 17

APPENDICES

1 Flood Risk Map Zone One

2 Photographs of the King William IV Public House.

Tim Roberts MRTPI

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 This Statement has been prepared on behalf of The Billy Hallen Ltd in support of a planning application for the change of use of part of the ground floor of the King William Public House at Hallen to two Serviced Apartments.

1.2 For the avoidance of doubt: the use of the remainder of the ground floor as a public house will continue; there are no material changes proposed to the external appearance of the building; and no changes to the existing access arrangements.

1.3 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that planning applications be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The development plan here comprises the South Gloucestershire Local Plan Core Strategy (CS) (adopted December 2013) and the South Gloucestershire Polices, Sites and Places Plan (PSP) (adopted November 2017). There is no ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish of Almondsbury.

1.4 Significant weight can also be attached to the Revised National Planning Policy Framework (RNPPF February 2019) and the particular presumption in favour of sustainable development set out at Paragraph 11, and the Planning Practice Guide. The Council’s Supplementary Planning Documents ‘Development in the Green Belt’ (adopted May 2007) and ‘Design Checklist’ (adopted August 2007) are also material considerations in the determination of any planning applications here.

1.5 This Statement needs to be read alongside the following documentation:

• Application forms duly completed

• Landownership certificate

• CIL questionnaire

• Site Location Plan (1:1250 @ A4)

• Drawings: o Existing Ground Floor Plans 1071-1 (1:100 @ A3)

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

o Existing First Floor Plans 1071-2 (1:100 @ A3) (No Change) o Proposed Ground Floor Plans 1071-3 (1:100 @ A3) o Existing Elevations 1071-5 (1:100 @ A1) o Proposed Elevations 1071-6 (1:100 @ A1) o Existing Block Plan 1071-8 (1:100 @ A3) o Proposed Block Plan 1071-9 (1:100 @ A3)

1.6 The following have not been submitted:

• An ecological appraisal (No external works or changes to the roof space are proposed.) • A Heritage Statement (No external works are proposed that would have co- visibility with the Hallen War Memorial to the southeast which is Grade II listed.) • Flood Risk Assessment (The site and its access to the east lie entirely within Flood Zone 1 (low risk). See Appendix 1)

1.7 This statement goes on to consider the proposals in the context of relevant national and local planning policies, together with any other material considerations. Having done so, it is concluded that the proposed part-conversion of the ground floor accords with the development plan, and the Revised National Planning Policy Framework, and there are only material considerations (social, economic and environmental benefits) that weigh in the ‘planning balance’ in favour of granting approval.

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

2.0 THE SITE AND ITS SURROUNDINGS, AND RELEVANT RECENT PLANNING HISTORY

2.1 The King William IV Public House is located in the Village of Hallen which is sandwiched between the M5 and the M49 motorways, to the east of the industrial areas of Severnside and Avonmouth, and north of the urban fringe of Greater in the parish of Almondsbury.

2.2 The Public House is situated on the junction between Severn Road and Berwick Lane and it has residential properties as neighbours in all four directions. There is an existing carpark to the rear accessed from Berwick Road, and pedestrian accesses from both Severn Road and Berwick Lane. Photographs of the Public House are included at Appendix 2 to this Statement.

2.3 The existing Ground Floor of the Public House comprises several separate lounges, a Bar, kitchen, cellar, storage and male and female toilets. The first floor comprises residential accommodation.

2.4 Neither the building itself, nor any of its near neighbours, are listed as having any special architectural or historic interest, though the War Memorial situated 75m to the south east along Hellen Road is Grade II listed. There are no indications of any particular geological or archaeological interest, though it should be noted that the Archaeological Sites and Monuments Records have not been interrogated.

2.5 There are no public footpaths crossing the site and no neighbouring areas are designated as having any special nature conservation interest. There are also no trees on or near the application sites protected by a TPO.

2.6 The site lies in Flood Zone 1 where there is the lowest probability of flooding and where any sequential test would direct development in the first instance. Consequently no Flood Risk Assessment has been prepared to accompany this ‘minor’ application.

Relevant Recent Planning History

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

2.7 Planning permission was granted in 2006 for the erection of a rear extension to form a skittle alley and conservatory, and a two-storey side extension to facilitate the creation of a 2 bedroom dwelling to the north of the Public House (Ref: PT06/1788/F). Amendments to this scheme involving alterations to the roofline were subsequently approved in 2007 (Ref PT07/1904/F).

2.8 Planning permission was refused in 2014 for the change of use of the skittle alley to form two one-bedroom apartments (Ref: PT0632/F). The Case Officer at the time recommended refusal for the following single reason:

“1. The proposed residential units, by virtue of their location within the curtilage and car park of a public house and the inadequate provision of private, useable amenity space would cause significant adverse impact upon the residential amenity of the future occupiers and would fail to comply with Policy CS1 of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan: Core Strategy (Adopted December 2013) and Policy H5 of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan (Adopted).

2.9 However, in refusing planning permission, Members of the Planning Committee added the following two reasons:

“2. The skittle alley is existing community infrastructure that Policy CS23 seeks to retain in its own right. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the use has ceased and there is no longer a demand; or that the facility is no longer fit for purpose; and that there is suitable alternative provision within easy walking distance. The application is therefore contrary to the requirements of Policy CS23 of the Core Strategy.”

“3. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the loss of the skittle alley would not have a significant and detrimental impact on the viability of the public house. In granting approval for the conversion, the retention of the existing public house is bought into question. The public house is an existing community infrastructure that Policy CS23 seeks to retain in its own right. The applicant has failed to demonstrate that the use has ceased and there is no longer a demand; or that the facility is no longer fit for purpose; and that there is suitable alternative provision within easy walking distance. The application is therefore contrary to the requirements of Policy CS23 of the Core Strategy.”

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

2.10 We explain what new polices have been adopted since 2014, and how the current proposals address these reasons for refusal, in Section 5 of this statement.

2.11 At the time of submission of this application the Public House remains closed under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closure) () Regulations 2020, with no indication as to when it will be legal to commence trading again. The skittles team cased use of the skittle alley to the rear in 2015/16 and this area is used as the main bar.

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

3.0 THE PROPOSAL AND DESIGN AND ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS

3.1 From 1st September 2020 the existing use of the King William Public House at Hallen became a use in a class of its own (‘Sui Generis’) (Ref: Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as amended 2020). Planning permission is sought for the change of use of part of the ground floor of the public house to two serviced apartments i.e. apartments which are advertised as being available for short term let (i.e. not necessarily on a minimum 6 months shorthold tenancy), with some level of house-keeping services provided such as cleaning and laundry.

3.2 There is no Use Class now, or prior to the recent revisions, which include reference to ‘Serviced Apartments’. 'Serviced Apartments' is a catch-all term for larger purpose built apart-hotels (which fall within Use Class C1 Hotels) and smaller scale buildings, primarily residential that are re-purposed for short-term lets (which are generally regarded as falling with Use Class C3 Dwellinghouses) (N.B. Class C was not affected by the 1st September 2020 changes to the Use Classes Order). It is considered that what is proposed here would fall within Use Class C3.

3.3 It is proposed to convert the lounges, kitchen and toilets situated at the front of the building into two self-contained Serviced Apartments as follows:

Serviced Apartment 1: 53 sqm • Lounge Area • Kitchen / Dining Area • Bedroom • Hall • Bathroom

Serviced Apartment 2: 61 sqm • Lounge Area • Kitchen / Dining Area • Bedroom 1 • Bedroom 2 en-suite • Bathroom

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

3.4 The arrangement of the two apartments i.e. provided in the front part of the building, is intended to address the concerns raised by the Case Officer back in 2016 about the (then) proposed residential accommodation being sandwiched between the main lounge bar and kitchen, and the pub carpark to the north. Indeed, the sleeping accommodation, as now proposed, would benefit from the greatest separation from the bar. It is also the case that what is proposed is not intended for long-term family residential accommodation but short term-rental Serviced Apartments aimed at satisfying the increasing demand for such accommodation for those working locally, particularly at Severnside and Avonmouth. This is explained in more detail in Section 5 of this Statement.

3.5 The existing car park to the rear offers 10 spaces.

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

4.0 PLANNING POLICY CONTEXT

4.1 Section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that planning applications be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. The development plan here comprises the South Gloucestershire Local Plan Core Strategy (CS) (adopted December 2013) and the South Gloucestershire Polices, Sites and Places Plan (PSP) (adopted November 2017). There is no ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish of Almondsbury.

4.2 Significant weight can also be attached to the Revised National Planning Policy Framework (RNPPF February 2019) and the Planning Practice Guide.

4.3 The Council’s Supplementary Planning Documents ‘Development in the Green Belt’ (adopted May 2007) and ‘Design Checklist’ (adopted August 2007) are also material considerations in the determination of any planning applications here.

Revised National Planning Policy Framework (RNPPF)

4.4 As a starting point, it is relevant to note that the RNPPF still confirms at Paragraphs 2 and 47 that:

“Planning law requires that applications for planning permission be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The National Planning Policy Framework must be taken into account in preparing the development plan, and is a material consideration in planning decisions.

(Ref: Revised NPPF Paragraph 2)

4.5 Paragraph 7 confirms that:

“The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. At a very high level, the objective of sustainable development can be summarised as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

(Revised NPPF Paragraph 7)

4.6 In the Forward to the original NPPF, the (then) Minister Greg Clarke MP, set out his vision of Sustainable Development:

“The purpose of planning is to help achieve sustainable development. Sustainable means ensuring that better lives for ourselves don’t mean worse lives for future generations.

Development means growth. We must accommodate the new ways by which we will earn our living in a competitive world. We must house a rising population, which is living longer and wants to make new choices. We must respond to the changes that new technologies offer us. Our lives, and the places in which we live them, can be better, but they will certainly be worse if things stagnate.

Sustainable development is about change for the better, and not only in our built environment……

So sustainable development is about positive growth – making economic, environmental and social progress for this and future generations.

The planning system is about helping to make this happen.

Development that is sustainable should go ahead, without delay – a presumption in favour of sustainable development that is the basis for every plan, and every decision. This framework sets out clearly what could make a proposed plan or development unsustainable.

In order to fulfil its purpose of helping achieve sustainable development, planning must not simply be about scrutiny. Planning must be a creative exercise in finding ways to enhance and improve the places in which we live our lives.”

(Ref: Ministerial Forward to the Original NPPF)

4.7 Paragraph 10 of the Revised NPPF reaffirms that at the heart of the NPPF, there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which paragraph 11 explains that for decision-taking means:

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

“c) approving development proposals that accord with an up-to-date development plan without delay; or

d) where there are no relevant development plan policies, or the policies which are most important for determining the application are out-of-date7, granting permission unless:

i. the application of policies in this Framework that protect areas or assets of particular importance provides a clear reason for refusing the development proposed; or

ii. any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in this Framework taken as a whole.”

(Ref: Revised NPPF Paragraph 11)

4.8 And in making these decision Paragraph 38 is clear that:

“Local planning authorities should approach decisions on proposed development in a positive and creative way. They should use the full range of planning tools available, including brownfield registers and permission in principle, and work proactively with applicants to secure developments that will improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area. Decision-makers at every level should seek to approve applications for sustainable development where possible.”

(Ref: Revised NPPF Paragraph 38)

4.9 Insofar as delivering a sufficient supply of homes is concerned, Paragraph 59 refers to the Government’s objective of significantly boosting the supply of homes and states how important it is that:

“a sufficient amount and variety of land can come forward where it is needed, that the needs of groups with specific housing requirements are addressed…”

(Ref: Revised NPPF Paragraph 59)

4.10 Paragraph 68 recognises the important contribution that small sites can make to meeting the housing requirement in an area; not least because these are often built- out relatively quickly, and sets an initial target of 10% of requirement to be met on sites identified through the development plan or the brownfield register of no larger than one hectare. And in addition to this it requires LPAs to:

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

“support the development of windfall sites through their policies and decisions…”

(Revised NPPF Paragraph 68(c))

4.11 Insofar as rural areas are concerned; paragraph 79 identifies development that would re-use redundant or disused buildings, or the subdivision of existing residential dwellings, as appropriate.

4.12 Section 8 of the RNPPF is concerned with promoting healthy and safe communities and Paragraph 92 is clear that planning decisions should:

“c) guard against the unnecessary loss of valued facilities and services, particularly where this would reduce the community’s ability to meet its day- to-day needs; [and]

(d) ensure that established shops, facilities and services are able to develop and modernise, and are retained for the benefit of the community.”

(RNPPF Paragraph 92)

4.13 Section 11 of the RNPPF seeks to promote a more effective use of underutilised land and buildings, and requires that decisions:

“…promote an effective use of land in meeting the need for homes and other uses, while safeguarding and improving the environment and ensuring safe and healthy living conditions.

And:

“d) promote and support the development of under-utilised land and buildings, especially if this would help to meet identified needs for housing where land supply is constrained and available sites could be used more effectively.”

(Ref: Revised NPPF Paragraphs 117 and 118)

4.14 Section 12 of the Revised NPPF is concerned with achieving well-designed places and paragraph 124 is clear that:

“The creation of high quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve. Good design is a key

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

aspect of sustainable development, creates better places in which to live and work and helps make development acceptable to communities.”

4.15 Paragraph 127 requires that decisions should ensure that developments:

“a) will function well and add to the overall quality of the area, not just for the short term but over the lifetime of the development;

b) are visually attractive as a result of good architecture, layout and appropriate and effective landscaping;

c) are sympathetic to local character and history, including the surrounding built environment and landscape setting, while not preventing or discouraging appropriate innovation or change (such as increased densities);

(Ref Revised NPPF Paragraph 127)

4.16 And we also note the encouragement given at Paragraph 127 (e) to:

“optimise the potential of the site to accommodate and sustain an appropriate amount and mix of development…”

South Gloucestershire Local Plan Core Strategy (CS)

4.17 An inspection of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan Policies Map confirms that the application site lies within the Settlement Boundary of the village of Hallen but is ‘washed over’ by Green Belt.

4.18 Insofar as the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy is concerned, the most relevant policies in our view are:

• CS1 - seeks to ensure high quality design; • CS4A - deals with the Presumption in Favour of Sustainable Development; • CS5 - Location of Development • CS9 - Managing the Environment and Heritage • CS9 - Managing the Environment and Heritage • CS15 – Distribution of Housing • CS16 – Housing Density • CS17 – Housing Diversity

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

• CS23 – Community Infrastructure and cultural activity • CS34 Rural Areas

South Gloucestershire Polices, Sites and Places Plan (PSP)

4.19 Given the nature and location of this site, we say the following policies are particularly relevant, always bearing in mind that the application must be determined having regard to the development plan as a whole.

• PSP1 - Local Distinctiveness

• PSP2 – Landscape

• PSP8 - Residential Amenity

• PSP16 - Parking Standards

• PSP38 - Development within Existing Residential Curtilages, Including Extensions and New Dwellings

• PSP40 – Residential Development in the Countryside

• PSP34 – Public Houses

Other Material Considerations

4.20 Finally we cite the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has had on the hospitality industry and ‘wet-led’ Public Houses like The King William IV in particular, in exacerbating their already precarious levels of viability. Even before the lockdowns were imposed, Public Houses were already experiencing a long-term decline in patronage for a variety of reasons, both cultural and economic.

4.21 It is widely accepted that there are a number factors in play which, in combination, are responsible for what has been a longstanding trend of Public House closures. This reflects to a large measure a sea-change in drinking habits away from pubs fuelled by: health concerns; fierce competition from supermarkets for the sale of alcohol; continued downward pressure on drink-driving; and the banning of smoking in pubs. This has all been exacerbated by pressures on costs such as disproportionate increases in Business Rates and the introduction of the Minimum

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

Wage. In fact many small country pubs have only really survived as an adjunct to the licensee’s living accommodation.

4.22 That said, we should stress that it is not the intention here to close the King William IV Public House but diversify and make better use of the property which is underused, with a view to sustaining its viability. We have not, however, submitted any financial evidence to support this application because we are clear that these proposals are policy-compliant in any event, and do not require special justification, as is explained fully in the next section of this Statement.

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

5.0 POLICY ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

5.1 In considering the obligation on the Council to determine this application “in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise” we have tested the proposals against the relevant development plan policies, the Revised NPPF (2019), and the Council’s Supplementary Planning Documents.

Principle of the Development

5.2 Insofar as support for the principle of the conversion of part of the ground floor of this Public House is concerned, it is clear that at national and local level, planning policies seek, wherever possible, to foster a thriving and diverse rural economy with all the benefits this brings economically and socially. Moreover, the proposed conversion- works sit four-square with the core planning principles set out in the Revised NPPF to “promote and support the development of under-utilised land and buildings. These core principles are also reflected in the aims and objectives of the South Gloucestershire Core Strategy in terms of seeking to maximise the delivery of development from previously developed land and existing buildings.

5.3 Policies CS35 and PSP7, consistent with the RNPPF are clear that proportionate extensions to buildings throughout the Green Belt, and some ‘limited infilling’ within settlements washed-over by Green Belt, is appropriate. These proposals involve neither, being confined exclusively to the partial change of use of the ground floor of an existing building which is self-evidently of permanent and substantial construction. Such a change of use is also explicitly identified as a form of development that is appropriate within Green Belt and it would have no effect whatsoever on the openness or visual amenity of the Green Belt.

5.4 The general national and local policy-support for the conversion or re-use of buildings is not, however, unconditional. Policy CS23 deals with Community Infrastructure and cultural activity. In particular it states that:

“Existing community infrastructure will be retained, unless it can be demonstrated that:

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

3. The use has ceased and there is no longer a demand; or

4. The facility is no longer fit for purpose; and

5. Suitable alternative provision is available within easy walking distance to the required standard.”

5.5 Indeed, it was this policy that was quoted by the Council when it refused planning permission back in 2014 for the proposed conversion of the skittle alley, to the rear of the King William IV Public House, to residential accommodation. We are nevertheless clear that it would not be appropriate to cite this policy in support of refusing the current planning application, and in saying this we note the following.

5.6 First and foremost, the Case Officer who dealt with the 2014 planning application concluded that it was “not reasonable” then to refuse permission on the grounds of the loss of just the skittle alley. It was Members of the Planning Committee who added this as a reason for refusal citing Policy CS23 when they considered the application at the Committee meeting.

5.7 Secondly, since then, the use of the skittle alley has ceased; approximately five years ago.

5.8 Thirdly, it is in any event proposed that the existing community facility (i.e. the Public House) be retained.

5.9 Fourth and fifth, the NPPF has been revised, and the Council has since adopted the PSP Plan and Policy PSP34 which deals specifically with Public Houses.

5.10 Insofar as the RNPPF is concerned, not only does the current proposal not result in the unnecessary loss of a community facility (Ref: RNPPF Paragraph 92 point (c)), but it will contribute to ensuring that the exiting Public House use will be retained, in circumstances where many such facilities are becoming unviable (Ref: RNPPF Paragraph 92 point (d)); more so as result of the necessary closure of Public Houses during the current pandemic.

5.11 The PSP Plan explains that Policy PSP34 (which was not in force at the time of the previous, albeit markedly different, planning application) is aimed at guarding against the loss of Public Houses. Indeed, the first line of the policy reads:

“The Council supports the retention of Public Houses.”

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

5.12 The current proposals are underpinned by the objective of retaining the Public House use, albeit over a smaller, more sustainable, floor area. Indeed, the further diversification of use of this underused building is specifically intended to support the viability of the Public House, through generating an additional income stream. Moreover, the proposed change of use of part of the ground floor would not result in any change to the character of the street scene or the removal of any external ‘heritage assets features’ (Ref: Policy PSP34 criterion 3 and 4). The existing signage on the front and side elevation would also be retained thereby not in any way undermining the buildings identity as a Public House (Ref: Policy PSP 24 Paragraph 7.82). And for the avoidance of doubt, we have not submitted evidence to demonstrate that the Public House use is no longer viable because there is no proposal to close it, and we say that the conversions works are, in any event, policy- compliant, in-principle, and do not require special justification (i.e. to make an unviable Public House viable).

Detailed Considerations

5.13 In recommending refusal of the previous scheme in 2014 to convert the (then) skittle alley into residential accommodation, the Case-Officer cited the location of the proposed residential units, i.e. sandwiched between the remaining Public House floorspace and the carpark, and the lack of private amenity space, and the resultant living conditions of future occupiers, as the only points of concern. The current scheme addresses these concerns in two principal ways.

5.14 Firstly, the new accommodation would be located at the front of the building and not sandwiched between the Public House floorspace and the associated car park. Indeed, the proposed sleeping accommodation would benefit from the greatest degree of separation. As now, the remaining Public House floorspace would be situated adjacent to, and have direct access from, the car park. We also note that there is already living accommodation at first floor level, and attached to the north.

5.15 Secondly, the proposed Serviced Apartments are not intended as long-term residential lettings for families, but short-term serviced accommodation run in conjunction with the Public House to provide a supplementary income stream. In such circumstances there is no need to provide external private amenity space.

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ

5.16 There would be ample parking available for the proposed Serviced Apartments in the car park to the rear, and because there would be no change to the existing access arrangements, highway safety would not be compromised.

5.17 Finally, the site lies within Flood Zone 1 where development including living accommodation is normally directed as being sequentially preferable (Ref Policy PSP20).

Overall ‘Planning Balance’ and Conclusions

5.18 With all the above in mind, Paragraph 7 of the Revised NPPF is clear that the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.

5.19 Achieving sustainable development means the planning system has three overarching objectives; economic, social and environmental. Determining what constitutes sustainable development requires all three factors, positive and negative, to be weighed together, albeit, as already discussed, the starting point for any determination is still the Development Plan. In this case, the development is clearly modest in scale and, as a consequence, the impacts (all positive) and the benefits, are accordingly proportionately modest.

5.20 The environmental benefits would arise through making better use of an underused building. Coupled with this there are clear social and economic benefits generated by the new use and the works to achieve the conversion, the modest employment generated by the serving provided (cleaning, laundry etc), the additional income stream to support the viability of the Public House (a community facility), together with, CIL and Council tax that will be sustained. We say that taken together this comprises sustainable development.

5.21 In conclusion, section 38(6) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 requires that planning applications be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless other material considerations indicate otherwise. In the light of the above, it is concluded that granting planning permission for the proposed conversion works of part of the ground floor, would accord with the development plan. Moreover, given the clear environmental, economic and social benefits which

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King William IV Public House, Severn Road, Hallen, South Gloucestershire BS10 7RZ weigh in favour of granting planning permission, Paragraph 11 of the Revised NPPF is clear that such policy-compliant developments should be approved without delay.

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