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.