221371
The development consists of retention of the change of use of two rear store rooms to bar area, retention of a single storey cleaners store located in the yard area, and use of rear yard area as a Beer Garden, retention of elevational changes to the building including, increased height to rear storerooms that have been converted into an additional bar area, provision of a covered area to the side of rear bar area, retractable awning to yard area and revisions to the windows/ roof windows to the covered beer garden area. Retention permission is also sought for a period of 10 years for a single storey prefabricated ladies toilet block which has been installed in the enclosed rear yard area and for the change of use of part of the yard area, which is located next the entrance to the car park, into additional car parking (five bays), along with four recycling banks and for the retention of a bay for hot food casual trading beside the entrance to this land from Thursday to Sunday from 4pm to 9pm daily. Planning Permission is sought to convert an existing store room within this public house to a cocktail bar, including the creation of a bar counter / servery area and permission is sought to cover the existing metal roof cladding to the rear bar area to be retained with a corrugated metal or sinusoidal curved metal, finished in a red colour, rendering and painting of the exposed blockwork to the gable end of the public house and all associated site works and services. The building is a Protected Structure and it is located within Trim Historic Core Architectural Conservation area and Trim Zone of Archeological potential'
Core Planning Reasoning
The Inspector recommended a split decision, granting permission for the permanent bar extensions and beer garden while refusing retention for the prefabricated toilet block, cleaners store, and hot food trading bay. These elements were deemed to detract from the character and setting of the Protected Structure and the Architectural Conservation Area (ACA), contrary to heritage policies HER POL 16 and HER POL 20.
Decision Maker's Conclusion
- The core conversion of store rooms into bar areas and the formal use of the yard as a beer garden constitute acceptable adaptive reuse of a Protected Structure within a town centre zoning.
- Specific unauthorized elements, namely the prefabricated toilet block, the cleaners store, and the hot food trading bay, are unsympathetic additions that cause visual clutter and negatively impact the architectural integrity of the ACA.
- Residential amenity concerns regarding noise can be successfully managed through rigorous conditions, including the prohibition of external amplified music and the submission of an updated Acoustic Assessment.