One three-bedroom dwelling at The Anchor, Bourne End, Hemel Hempstead

What is proposed

The application seeks to retain the public house and build one three-bedroom dwelling with a new access, parking, landscaping and a reconfigured beer garden.

“26/00458/FUL Retention of existing public house and construction of one three- bedroom dwelling (Use Class C3) on land to the side of the existing public house (Sui Generis). Creation of a new vehicular access off Bourne End Lane, associated parking, hard and soft landscaping, reconfiguration of the public house beer garden and car park.”

Officer report

The site

The site contains a Grade II listed public house, beer garden and parking area on a corner plot within the Green Belt.

“The application site comprises Grade II Listed Building the Anchor, (a public house under sui generis use), and its associated beer garden and parking area, situated on a corner plot where roads London Road and Bourne End Lane meet in Bourne End. The Anchor fronts London Road, comprising a historic timber frame, white painted brick construction, a clay tile roof, and mullion casement windows with black painted outer frames and lintels.”

“The existing car parking area largely consists of tarmac, with small areas of soft landscaping and trees. The site is bound by development to the south, (i.e. two-storey detached dwellinghouse 1 Bourne End Lane), and the Chalk Row development to the west. Fencing extends to the east, demarcating the boundary of the beer garden.”

Officer report

Earlier application

A previous proposal for two dwellings was refused because of heritage, public house viability, character and residential amenity concerns.

“Under application 24/01805/FUL, planning permission was sought for the construction of two three-bedroom dwellings, (Use Class C3), on land to the side of the existing public house with associated parking and private amenity spaces. In order to facilitate these works, the layout of the public house beer garden and car park was also proposed to be reconfigured, with new soft landscaping would be introduced.”

“The proposed two new dwellings would be located immediately adjacent to a public house and its pub garden area. Whilst noise mitigation measures can be incorporated to reduce any noise concerns internally, full noise mitigation would necessitate that windows within the proposed dwellings remain closed.”

Officer report

What officers advised

Officers recommended approval because the proposal was considered acceptable in the Green Belt, with public benefits outweighing low-level heritage harm.

“The proposed development is acceptable in principle, amounting to appropriate development in the Green Belt in accordance with Paragraph 155 of the NPPF (2024). The proposed new dwelling has been sympathetically designed to integrate with the existing pattern of development, appearing a continuation of existing residential development along Bourne End Lane.”

“Whilst the redevelopment of the site would cause harm to the setting, integrity and distinctiveness of the Grade II Listed Building the Anchor, this harm is categorised as less than substantial harm at the lowest level, and is considered to be outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme.”

Officer report

Main planning issues

The assessment considered the Green Belt, design, heritage assets, residential amenity, highway safety and parking.

“The policy and principle justification for the proposal; The quality of design and impact on visual amenity; The impact on heritage assets; The impact on residential amenity; and The impact on highway safety and car parking.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A speaker addressed the committee against the application and another speaker addressed it in support.

The decision

Planning permission was delegated with a view to approval, subject to habitats mitigation, a legal agreement and planning conditions.

“Resolved: That planning permission be DELEGATED with a view to APPROVAL.”

“RECOMMENDATION That planning permission be DELEGATED with a view to APPROVAL subject to the completion of an appropriate assessment in accordance with article 6(3) of the Habitats Directive and securing a mitigation package to avoid any further significant effects on the Chilterns Beechwoods Special Area of Conservation (“SAC”) through financial contributions secured by legal agreement and the imposition of conditions set out in Section 11.”

Minutes

Requirements before building

The conditions cover contamination, landscaping, noise protection, ecology, biodiversity gain, disabled parking and construction management.

“The development granted by this notice must not begin unless a Biodiversity Gain Plan has been submitted to and approved in writing by the planning authority. The development shall thereafter be carried out in accordance with the approved Plan. Advice about how to prepare a Biodiversity Gain Plan and a template can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/submit-a-biodiversity-gain-plan.”

“No development shall commence until a Construction Method Statement has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority. Thereafter the construction of the development shall only be carried out in accordance with the approved Plan: The Construction Management Statement shall include details of: a. Construction vehicle numbers, type, routing; b. Access arrangements to the site; c.”

Minutes