Pub Change of Use and Diversification
The public house is an important part of community life, whether that be within a rural area or an urban location. It acts an important venue for social interaction and community engagement and is important for personal well-being.
However various publications from organisations such as the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and Office for National Statistics (ONS) have reported a steady decline in the number of pubs for the period to 2018 in the UK. This general decline has been attributed a number of factors that include taxation, change in regulations and cultural changes to drinking habits. Encouraging, a Government paper indicated that the number of pubs actually increased in 2019.
It will remain a challenging time for the pub industry and there will be instances where a pub may be forced to close and find a new use or explore diversification measures to supplement the income. We have summarised the planning implications below.
Public House Diversification
Many public houses have surplus land that is not actually being used for the pub use or is no longer required. For example, some public houses have large car parks and/or beer gardens that not required and could provide an opportunity for development to supplement the income. There will be many development opportunities which could be explored and will be dependent on the needs and aspirations of the pub in question and characteristics of the site, but example opportunities could include:
The creation of lettings rooms or self-catered accommodation;
The creation of a camping or glamping site;
Adventure / mini golf or other sporting facility;
Event space; or
Residential development.
In the majority of cases it is likely that a full planning application will be required for any proposed development at a public house.
The Change of Use of a Public House
Securing planning permission for the change of use of a public house will be challenging. National planning policy requires planning decisions to enable the retention of public houses. There are often local planning policies that also protect community facilities from development, and include public houses within that definition.
A further constraint that could exist in some instances in whether the public house has been designated an ‘asset of community value’. This designation places restrictions and limitations in respect to the sale and potential use of the building.
Despite all this, it is still possible to secure a successful planning consent for the change of use of a pubic house to an alternative use, such as residential. To justify the loss of a community use, it will often be necessary to demonstrate that the pub operation is no longer viable, has not been for a sustained period of time and is unlikely to be viable in the future. It may also be necessary to demonstrate that there is no demand for the pub use, which will require robust marketing evidence.
Permitted Development
A public house falls within Class A4 of the Use Class Order. To try and reduce the decline in pub numbers, the Government, in 2017, made amendments to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order). The amendments removed the ability to demolish or change the use of a pub to other ‘A’ class uses. The amendments do however, now allow the change of use to allow pubs to change use to drinking establishments with expanded food provision and vice versa without planning permission.
If you would like to discuss what options there are for your public house, please feel free to contact one of our planning consultants at mail@adpltd.co.uk.