18th Century pub blighted by vandalism will be redeveloped into shop if plans approved

The planning application to convert the derelict Grade II listed Hare and Hounds pub on Great Horton Road into a shop would also see a smaller retail unit built on the pub’s grounds.

Once a popular pub in the Horton Bank Top area, the building has been shut for over 13 years, and has suffered from vandalism, fire damage and theft of parts of the roof.

The new plans by MGM Property Investment call for an extension to the rear of the 18th Century building to create a new store.

Although the application does not specify which store would be opening on the site, a recent post from Queensbury Independent Councillor Luke Majkowski said Sainsbury’s was in talks to take on the unit.

A smaller shop would be built on a section of the pub’s existing car park.

There would be 29 parking spaces that will also include EV charging bays and 12 cycle parking spaces.

More modern additions to the building have recently been demolished in preparation for the future development.

The application says: “It has been established that the viability of the heritage asset as a continuing public house is not sustainable, as the building has been unoccupied for the previous 13 years, and fallen into a state of disrepair which has caused deterioration to the existing listed building.

“The scheme then proposes to extend the existing structure to the East and South which will provide the required amenities to change the use to that of a convenience store, with the mass and scale of the new build extension to be subservient to the historic structure.

“Secondary to the extension of the listed building is a second smaller retail unit, potentially for a food retail tenant, which borrows form and detail from the original structure.”

A heritage statement included with the application says: “The Inn ceased trading in 2019 and has remained vacant since then with significant deterioration of internal and external fabric, arising from vandalism and theft, taking place.

“Given the modern refurbishment of the internal spaces during the 1990s much of the original decorative treatment and spatial character of the building has been lost or masked.

“Internal fabric is in very poor condition with area of collapse and damage evident throughout.

“It is clear that the former Inn is at a significant risk of further deterioration and loss of fabric and as such the principle of an adaptive re-use is considered acceptable.”

A decision on the application is expected in November.