Derbyshire council planners have given the go-ahead to convert most of a village pub into a convenience store despite protesters’ objections that it may lead to the loss of a vital part of their community.
North East Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee decided on June 24 to approve a planning application for The Corner Pin pub, on Station Road and Pilsley Road, in Morton, to be converted into a mixed-use smaller pub with a convenience store and for a takeaway to be opened from a building near the car park.
Cameron Taylor, of Pilsley, stated: “I don’t believe that changing The Corner Pin into a convenience [store] should happen. From experience, it is a great place that locals and people from surrounding areas go to.”
The site currently features a two-storey public house building with three lounge bars on the ground floor and an upstairs’ residential flat and the applicant Mr Dhaliwal has now been given the go-ahead to convert two thirds of the public house into a convenience store with the remaining third to stay open as a bar or pub.
North East Derbyshire District Council received 23 objection comments from 14 residents and a petition with 199 signatures with signatures signed by those objecting to the plans and Pilsley Parish Council has stated it would have preferred to keep the Corner Pin as a pub.
Those with concerns had argued the pub in its current condition remains busy and is an integral community asset for events and entertainment and any changes will not be welcomed because there is only one other pub in Morton and there are no pubs in nearby Stonebroom.
They have also claimed that 20 pubs in a two-mile radius of The Corner Pin have already closed since 2000 and they are also concerned any changes will lead to an increase in traffic at the junction with shoppers.
Among the objections it was also felt that a shop would not benefit the community due to a claim that there are at least ten stores already within a two mile radius and a new one may cause problems with parking and the plans also do not appear to include disabled access.
Joe Turner, of Alfreton, said: “I have been drinking in this pub for years and use it as a social event for my friends. I don’t believe this would have any benefit to the village at all.
“There are loads of shops in the area and barely any pubs. Furthermore to this it will increase the parking on the junction and generally to the village.”
The council recognised that Morton’s only other pub, the Sitwell Arms, is a 10 to 15 minute walk away from the Corner Pin and despite claims from the applicant that the Corner Pin is not profitable the council acknowledged that it has not seen any such evidence in the form of formal financial records.
However, council officers believe that reducing the size of The Corner Pin while also introducing a shop would mean that the scheme will not result in a loss of social Infrastructure.
And a council spokesperson stated that because the pub will be retained alongside the introduction of a shop and takeaway the mixed-use scheme is deemed to be acceptable.
North East Derbyshire District Council’s Environmental Health Officer and Derbyshire County Council’s highways authority raised no objections to the planning application subject to a number of conditions.
The Environmental Health Officer has requested conditions relating to delivery times and the installation of flues or air conditioning units, and the highways authority has requested a Traffic Regulation Order for the Main Road and Pilsley Road junction on both sides to prohibit parking.
North East Derbyshire District Council’s planning committee considered objections and all comments along with council officers’ recommendations to approve the application with certain conditions before giving the scheme the go-ahead.
