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More House, Less Garden?

16 October 2018

Green Party campaigners in Nelson Ward are inviting local residents to comment on a planning application by E I (formerly Enterprise Inns) for change of use at the popular Garden House pub on Pembroke Road.

E I wants to change the first floor function room to a residential flat for a new manager.  Greens are concerned that change of use will render the pub financially unviable and that it is a step towards re-developing the whole public house and its large garden for housing.

Local Green campaigner, Paul Neale said:

“Allowing change of use would see the removal of the function room – used for regular community and private events for the past thirty years – and also the pub kitchen.  Food at The Garden House is a major attraction which could disappear. We suspect that E I have their eye on changing the whole pub to residential accommodation and developing its large garden for housing. Change of use for the first floor would be a first step to achieving this.”

Paul Neale added:

“Increasingly, the trend is towards redeveloping public houses and their grounds for housing. What links the five pubs owned by E I now announced for closure is that they all have large gardens or car parks. (1)   We fear that E I might be planning to asset strip and develop them for housing, as they did with the Cock at Lakenham .  If national chains are not interested in running these local pubs, local communities should be allowed the chance to take them on.” 

The planning application reference for The Garden House is: 18/01348/U

The deadline for comments is 24 October.

Notes:

The future of five pubs in Norwich owned by E I is looking uncertain:

The Garden House, Pembroke Road – large garden

The York Tavern, York Street – large garden

Gibraltar Gardens – extensive gardens

Brickmakers, Sprowston Road – large car park.  Scope for knocking down pub building.

The Woodman, North Walsham Road – large car park.