MP poised for victory in fight for ‘save our pub’ power

Ministers are considering changes to planning laws after meeting Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams amid concern communities are currently powerless to stop valued pubs being demolished.

Under the new rules, valued community assets – which could also include post offices and village shops – would require planning permission before they are demolished, giving communities the chance to save them.

Mr Adams had been hoping to introduce his own Bill to make the changes, although it would have had little chance of becoming law without Government support. But after meeting Ministers he is hoping they will introduce the measures in the Localism Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.

“I’ve had several meetings with both Ministers and officials at the Department of Communities and Local Government and I’m very hopeful that the thrust of my Bill will appear as part of the Localism Bill,” he said.

Mr Adams drew up his Protection of Local Services Planning Bill in response to concerns over the closure of 39 pubs every week, with communities often powerless to save their treasured local.

Even though many which close may not be economically viable or could be badly run, others close because owners can make a swift profit from flattening the building and selling the land for residential redevelopment.

A loophole in planning laws currently allows this to happen without any planning permission being required, as long as the building is not listed,

Mr Adams said: “This leaves local councils and residents powerless to save valuable and often well-used local community amenities. It is entirely possible to convert pubs into restaurants, cafes, betting shops or financial services offices without the need for planning permission, because these are classed in the same planning use bracket.

“Unscrupulous developers are also able to react to the refusal of planning permission or the possibility of a historic listing by simply demolishing the building and therefore extinguishing the previous ‘use’ of the premise. Demolition is generally not defined as development and therefore does not require planning permission.”

Under Mr Adams’s proposals, valued community assets – such as pubs, post offices and village shops – would be put on an official list, and planning permission would be required before they are demolished or their use is changed.

The idea links in with coalition plans for a community “right to buy”, which will allow local people first chance to snap up threatened services before they are sold off.

Ministers are said to be “sympathetic” to Mr Adams’s case and measures could be introduced when the Localism Bill is next debated in the House of Commons.

Tory MP Mr Adams, who took over from another pub champion, Labour MP John Grogan, when he won his seat in May started drawing up his Bill when he was 18th out of the ballot for MPs to introduce Private Members’ Bills into the Commons.

Only the first handful of MPs have any realistic chance of getting their bill through, and then they are generally reliant on Government support.

It would be down to individual councils to “opt in” to the legislation if they wish to take up the new powers.