Controversial plans to turn former Warwick pub into a home have resurfaced

New plans have been revealed to turn a former Warwick pub into a home - which owners say is the "only option".

If given the go ahead, the Grade II building – formerly The Punch Bowl in The Butts – would be converted to a eight-bed home and the change of use application also seeks to remove the 20th century additions to the building.

According to the plans the owners would also “reinstatement of historic front door and fenestration”.

These new plans come more than 18 months after the last heavily opposed ones were withdrawn and thrown out by councillors.

In September 2020, the owners had to close the pub for the 'foreseeable future' citing the latest Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the government.

A decision on the change of use application was made by planners through delegation and was refused permission on June 17 2022.

The second application – a Listed Building application – which sought a partial demolition of the existing pub building as well as internal and external alterations, was due to go before Warwick District Council’s planning meeting on June 22, 2022.

However, this application was withdrawn from the agenda before the meeting.

In the new documents, it says the listed building application was recommended for approval but was withdrawn “at the request of the case officer (for reasons unknown)”.

In their reasons for refusal, the planners said: “In the opinion of the local planning authority, it has not been suitably demonstrated that the change of use to a dwelling house would not be detrimental to the town centre through the loss of visitor accommodation.”

The planners also added: “Applicants are expected to provide evidence of the property being marketed for a period of 12 months at a price reflective of the current market conditions and demonstrate no other operators have been willing to acquire it for continued use as visitor accommodation.

"Whilst it has been implied in communications by the agent that the business was unviable, no substantive evidence has been provided.”

Planners also added in the report at the time that some issues had been raised about site access and noise concerns for any potential residents.

More than 180 objections had also been lodged against the plans – with many citing that they valued the site in the community as an asset because of its heritage and as a venue in the town.

In 2021, residents in the town also started a campaign to save the pub called ‘Save the Punch Bowl’.

According to the new planning documents, after the previous plans were withdrawn and refused in June 2022, “the premises have remained closed as the owner has been unable to find anyone willing to lease the premises.

"They have been marketed as a public house with lettable rooms from September 2022 to date without success, any interest shown either failing to obtain funds or realising operations would be financially unviable and pulling out.

"A revised application to convert the premises to a single dwelling remains the only option to bring the premises back into use.”

To view the application go to Warwick District Council’s planning portal and search: W/23/1789.