THERE are few things more contentious than planning. Time and again I am contacted by people who are worried about planning applications – from house extensions through to major developments on the edge of towns.

Most recently, planning anguish has come from supermarkets seeking to change local pubs into small outlets. Tesco has changed the Angel in Bewdley into a small store, and they are planning to change the Squirrel in Areley Kings to another.

Through a small quirk of planning, changing the use of a pub to a store does not require planning permission (although, oddly enough, signage does). However, changing use of a casino, nightclub or launderette does. This has created a significant amount of local anguish to residents in Areley Kings and Bewdley. Areley Kings has had planning refused, but Tesco has won on appeal .

It is clear to everyone concerned that the change of use is not a welcome one. Yet there will certainly be occasions when a change of use of a boarded up, out of business pub View from Westminster will be a welcome removal of a local eyesore.

Early in this parliament, the Localism Act introduced a community’s right to nominate buildings and land, which most add value to a local community, to be listed as Assets of Community Value. This has been used 600 times on pubs alone and the Squirrel in Areley Kings was listed in an attempt to stop Tesco. However, in itself, this could not stop the development. So the government is bringing forward legislation to change this. If a pub is listed as a community asset, this will trigger an automatic removal of the rights to change the use. When in force, this legislation will prevent pubs being taken over to become supermarkets without planning permission.

This is a major, and very welcome, step forward. Trying to find a way that never allows a derelict pub to be the subject of difficult planning legislation, whilst at the same time preventing pub companies from selling off much loved local assets is tricky. But I certainly think they have been successful with this.

A petition of under 30 names will save a pub in future.

CONTACT YOUR MP

  • Email: mark.garnier.mp@parliament.uk
  • Telephone: 020 7219 7198 or 01562 746771
  • Write: 9a Lower Mill Street, Kidderminster, DY11 6UU, or House of Commons, Westminster, London