London council protects 120 pubs in UK first

Wandsworth Council has become the first in the UK to formally protect its pubs by removing permitted development rights on 120 pubs, meaning that planning permission will now be required before they can be turned into homes or shops.

The Country House in Earlsfield is one of the pubs to receive protection

Currently, developers are able to convert pubs to other uses without planning permission due to a legal loophole which affords pubs permitted development rights. It means that thousands of UK pubs have already been lost, quietly converted into shops or flats, with councils powerless to stop them.

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has been campaigning for some time to close the loophole under its Save the Pub initiative, encouraging communities to apply for their pubs to be listed as an Asset of Community Value, affording pubs the sane protection.

However Wandsworth Council is the first to completely remove permitted development rights on pubs on this scale under “Article 4 Directions”, which will allow it to more effectively block applications that would result in the loss of a pub in the future.

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“Wandsworth’s pubs are now the best protected in the entire country and have a genuine defense against the relentless spread of mini-supermarkets and estate agents”, said deputy council leader Jonathan Cook.

“We know how much our residents love their locals and in many cases they really are the epicenter of community life. I’m proud and delighted we’ve found a way to protect them.

“I very much hope that other councils will follow our lead by adopting pub-friendly planning policies and then stripping away permitted development rights from their local inns, bars and taverns. This could be a real turning point for our nation’s superb but vulnerable pub trade and Wandsworth is more than ready to share its approach with other authorities.”

The 120 bars and pubs protected were chosen due to their “historic or architectural value” or because they make a positive contribution to their community. Some pubs that are currently closed have also been given protection, including the White Lion in Putney High Street and The Brewery Tap in Wandsworth High Street. It’s hoped this will give an added incentive to the owners to bring them back into use.

They include:

• The Alma, The Ship and The Cat’s Back in Wandsworth
• The Bricklayers Arms, Arab Boy and Railway in Putney
• The Country House in Earlsfield
• The Plough , Falcon and The Beehive in Battersea
• The Selkirk, Trafalgar Arms and Wheatsheaf in Tooting
• The Bedford, Regent and Prince of Wales in Balham

Pubs across the UK have been closing at an alarming rate in recent years, but have encouragingly begun to slow. The most recent figures published by Camra show that the number of pubs closing each week is now 21, falling from 27 in the last six months.

“I would like to see every planning authority in the country follow Wandsworth’s exemplary initiative in protecting its pubs and bars by removing permitted development rights”, added Geoff Strawbridge, Greater London CAMRA regional director.