Planning refused for Northamptonshire village pub's outdoor area installed six years ago due to use of ‘poor-quality materials’ and being ‘visually intrusive’
Planning permission for a ‘temporary’ pergola in the car park of The Old Swan in Earls Barton has been refused after being installed in May 2020.
A 142sq m portion of the car park at The Old Swan was developed into an outdoor space six years ago, constructed using a steel frame and polypropylene sheet seasonal roof cover.
The space was regularly used by the pub to host events such as weddings, birthday celebrations, live sport and music.
For years, the space has served as an extension to the Grade 2 listed pub in The Square, however now North Northants Council (NNC) has told bosses at the pub that it is unsuitable, due to its poor construction and ‘visually intrusive’ styling that ‘fails to respond positively to the distinctive local character.’
The refusal notice reads: “By virtue of its design, form and use of poor-quality materials, the roof covering and its associated supporting structure has introduced an inappropriate and visually incongruous addition to the setting of the host listed building and fails to preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the Earls Barton Conservation Area.”
An accompanying document from current landlord, Paul Dexter, claims the pergola is ‘not visible from the road and is very well received by all the village’, however each of the three public comments on the now-refused application object to the pergola’s continued use.
One objection from a resident of the village said: "The planning states that the structure is not visible from the road, however this is incorrect, as it is clearly visible from the road. “The structure is not in keeping with other buildings in the area. By this I mean it is not in keeping with the image within the historical centre of Earls Barton. “As a local resident, parking is extremely difficult in the evenings and at weekends, this is exasperated by the fact that the pub has removed their car park in order to erect this structure. This is a personal concern, as the lack of available parking nearby, means I have to walk further during winter evenings which leaves me feeling vulnerable. “As patrons do not need to go into the pub, crowds gather at the bottom of the car park, drinking and smoking and making a considerable amount of noise. The noise is loud conversation and use of foul language which I don't wish to hear of an evening.”
Another added: “The structure takes up what was the pub car park, so their staff and customers park on the already overcrowded village streets. The noise generated is often loud, the huge lights contribute to light pollution and the whole detracts from both the Grade 2 listed pub building and the wider conservation area in which it is sited.”
The refusal of planning permission on June 24 came just weeks before the current landlords announced their departure after ten years behind the bar, as they are set to ‘begin a new chapter’ elsewhere from July 12.
The design and access statement, submitted on behalf of the landlords, reads: “The deck and pergola are subservient in scale to the listed structure of the pub, again with minimal impact on the pub or its setting. As the pergola is set back to the rear of the site and constructed in materials with dark colours the impact on All Saints Church is also minimal.”
The pergola area was installed in the pub’s car park in May 2020, and since then has been a significant part of the pub’s operations, with the current landlords arguing the area equates to approximately 30 per cent of the pubs business and is ‘crucial to the survival of the village pub.’ While the timber deck was approved in spring 2018, retrospective plans for the remainder of the works were only submitted to the council in March of this year and refused in June.
The landlords say the temporary roof cover is used during the winter months, and removed in the summer, with the deck area closing at 11pm each night.
Cllr Scott Brown, North Northants councillor for the Earls Barton ward, added his voice to the growing list of objections, calling the space ‘damaging.’
He said: "The structure introduces a bulky, modern and visually intrusive element to this historic street scene.
"The materials and construction are particularly damaging. The combination of steel for the pergola and basic timber creates a cheap, temporary and insubstantial appearance that is entirely out of keeping with the surrounding properties and indeed the existing public house. This harm extends to the setting of the Grade 1 listed All Saints Church and other nearby heritage assets, including the war memorial.
"The works appear to have been carried out without proper regard for the sensitivity of the conservation area or the requirements of the planning system.
"There is insufficient justification for the harm caused.”
The full application can be found online here, or by searching 26/00574/FUL on the NNC planning portal.