A FAMILIAR Hyde pub will be converted into a shop after planning permission was granted.
The Clarkes Arms, on Stockport Road, closed in July 2022 after attempts to find a landlord and secure community involvement were unsuccessful.
Now it will be turned into a convenience store after Ashraf Bilal’s application was approved.
Planning papers suggest it will create new jobs – a manager and three part-time staff.
Four objections were received, with concerns being congestion on the roads and road safety hazards.
One also said there is no need for another convenience store and it was alleged the proposal might simply be a cover for other activities.
But in an executive decision, Tameside Council’s director of place, Julian Jackson, has given it the go ahead.
A report states: “The proposed change of use of the building would not impact on the current functioning of the land within the wider area of protected green space.
“The proposed retail sales area would serve only local needs and provide for the operator’s location-specific requirements.
“The provision of local shops is supported to promote healthy, inclusive and safe places.
“In these circumstances, rather than the building remaining vacant, with the implications this would have on the general amenity of the locality, the requirement to demonstrate that a sequential test is satisfied would be disproportionate in relation to the scale of the proposed development, which would not draw trade away from the town centre and so not affect adversely the vitality of the centre.”
Tameside Council has applied conditions to the approval, including the shop being allowed to open from 7am until 10pm between Monday and Friday.
Saturday’s opening hours will be from 8am until 10pm. Sunday and on bank holidays from 9am until 8pm.
One other deems occupation of the site is not allowed until all pub ‘paraphernalia’ – including all advertising material and external flues, has been removed.
No external changes to the building are planned, but there will be a new entrance created as well as access for the disabled.
Parking spaces are available at the back of the building and the notice states: “The Local Planning Authority worked positively and proactively with the applicant to identify various solutions during the application process to ensure that the proposal comprised sustainable development and would improve the economic, social and environmental conditions of the area and would accord with the development plan.
“These were incorporated into the scheme and/or have been secured by planning condition.”
I thought pubs had to be converted into HMOs.
On a similar theme, the Caledonia in Ashton was converted into flats and when they came on the market, the estate agent had an enquiry from someone out of town. Apparently one of the first questions they asked was “where’s the nearest pub?”.