Application for Northamptonshire pub to be turned into housing approved

The Fox and Hounds in Gold Street, Wellingborough, was the subject of an application for a change of use from public house to residential.

And it was approved by Wellingborough Council last week with conditions stating that the development shall start within three years of permission being granted.

The planning permission letter also stated: “The applicant is reminded that this decision relates to a change of use only.

“This site is a Grade II listed building and therefore if any internal or external works (including the removal of the signs) are carried out to the property/site then listed building consent will be required.

“No further works should be carried out unless and until a listed building application is submitted and granted.”

The original application included documents which said the pub is not making a profit and two other pubs in the same road have already closed and been turned into housing.

A letter signed by Chris Smart and Jackie English, which was submitted as part of the application, stated: “The pub is not trading at a profit, it has not for many years, the freeholder Jackie English has been in the business for 30 years and cannot make this work.

“The business has been up for sale for 2.5 years and no-one has taken an interest as a pub or anything of that nature.

“There were two previous public houses on Gold Street, the Railway Club and Dun Cow which have since closed and been knocked down and replaced with apartments.

“It will be in the best interest of the building and the owner for this pub to be a residential dwelling as it is in keeping with the area plus it is Grade II listed and it needs a home owner to appreciate the history of this property.”

The Northants Telegraph reported earlier this year that work had started on turning the former Railway Club site off Broad Green into a new development of 48 flats named Mitchell Court.

This follows the building of 26 flats where the Dun Cow pub used to stand in Gold Street, with its first occupants welcomed at the end of 2014.