A bid to bulldoze an historic pub and replace it with a care home and apartment block has been dismissed by a planning inspector. New Care (Altrincham) Ltd appealed against the refusal of the Trafford planning authority to grant permission for the demolition of The Pelican Inn pub and adjoined Altincham Lodge hotel on Manchester Road in Timperley.
The derelict former Greene King pub is regarded by Trafford council as a 'non-designated heritage asset' (NDHA). It closed in 2020 and never reopened.
The time span for New Care's application to Trafford planning and development committee to be considered lapsed in the summer because of an administrative backlog. That prompted the company to appeal against the authority's 'non-determination' of the application.
Planning inspector Samual Watson said he would adjudicate on the appeal as if the council had refused permission and has now upheld it. Mr Watson said the main issues were the 'effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the surrounding area and The Pelican Inn' and on the 'social and cultural needs of the community'.
He also took into consideration whether sufficient affordable housing had been part of the proposal and whether it would provide a 'suitable quality of accommodation for future occupiers in terms of outdoor amenity space and floor space provision'.
The mock-Tudor pub was built by George Wescott, a renowned local architect, in the 1930s. In the written decision by Mr Watson he said of the pub: "Although extended and altered to the rear, the front and two sides are generally intact and present the most visual interest.
"Moreover, it still sits amongst dwellings contemporary to its construction and to which it was built to serve. To this end, I find that its significance stems from the history of the site, including its local connections, and the rarity of this once-common style of public house.
"Therefore, and lacking any evidence to the contrary, I have no reason to disagree with the council's findings that The Pelican Inn is an NDHA."
Mr Watson goes on to say that the pub would 'primarily meet the social and cultural needs of the local community, such as socialising with friends and family and holding private community events'.
The planning inspector's decision has been welcomed by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Trafford and Hulme branch.
Public affairs officer Tim Field told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We are delighted with the outcome of this appeal and we are particularly pleased that the planning team and inspectorate appear to be taking the view that pubs can be valuable social assets for the community."
He went on: "I think if Greene King could reopen the pub and make it work, if they don't want to do that, maybe they could put it on the market for at least 12 months and see if anyone else wants to take it on."
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