Swallowcliffe Oak survives

Wiltshire Council has refused an application to convert the Royal Oak at Swallowcliffe into a house. The details are at:

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planninganddevelopment/2012/0217/applicationdetails.htm Reference number of the application is S/2012/0217

Local residents and the parish council opposed the scheme and a campaign group was set up to save the Grade II listed building. The pub closed five years ago, and the developers say it's not viable as a business.

For more see the Salisbury Journal http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/9570608.Villagers_determined_to_save_pub/

WC refused the scheme for the following reasons:

Whilst this proposal would in terms of its detailed design, result in a welcome development that would halt
the ongoing deterioration of this historic listed building, and whilst acknowledging the relatively remote
location away from main roads and the limitations and condition of the existing pub building, in regard to
overall viability and criteria set out in adopted core policy 21, it has not been satisfactorily demonstrated that
an alternative model of pub business or, community use would not be viable in this case.
It therefore cannot be concluded that a full residential use is the only option available for the building.
As such the proposal does not satisfactorily address the requirements of Core Policy 21 of the adopted
South Wiltshire Core Strategy and thus is considered to be unacceptable from a Planning point of view.
The proposal also does not promote the retention and development of local services and community facilities
in villages, such as local shops, meeting places, sports venues, cultural buildings, public houses and places
of worship. As such this proposal is considered to be at odds with the aims and objectives of Part 3.
Supporting a prosperous rural economy, of the Local Planning Policy Framework (LPPF).