Community celebrates after councillors turn down plans to redevelop pub into housing
The Sun pub, Hartford Road, Huntingdon. - Credit: Archant
A plan to convert a former Hartford pub into five homes has been thrown out due to parking problems.
Following a fight from residents living near The Sun pub, in Hartford Road, Huntingdonshire District Council’s development management panel decided to turn down the application on Monday (June 20).
The application, submitted by Ambury Developments earlier this year, sought permission to knock down the public house and build five properties in its place.
In an earlier application, submitted last year, Ambury had applied to the district council to build six houses but the plans were turned down in the face of criticism from neighbours over a lack of parking at the site.
In its latest submission, however, Ambury said it has responded to concerns raised about a lack of parking by removing one house and including space for four cars in its plan.
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A spokesman for the district council said that the application was denied after it was considered that it would only “exacerbate the already existing problem of parking in the area.”
District council member for the area, Councillor Ste Greenall, said: “There is already insufficient parking in that area so on a personal basis I support the people in that area. From talking to residents they would be sympathetic to that area being developed but not something that would cause even worse problems.”
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During the five hour long meeting a group of 17 residents gave their view on the need for the application to be turned down.
Phil Mason, of Cross Street, Huntingdon, said: “It has been inspiring to see how the neighbourhood has come together to resist the currently inappropriate proposals. The community remains keen to see redevelopment of the site but any plans should not overdevelop the area.”
In May this year the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Huntingdonshire branch appealed to the district council to turn the pub into a community asset.
Despite a recommendation from Huntingdon Town Council it was decided that the site would not be viable to run as a pub again.
