Appeal against refusal to let pub become a house
LDRSAn appeal has been lodged against a council's refusal to allow a pub to be turned into a home.
A decision by Durham County Council to reject the plan for the Bridge Inn at Whorlton Bridge, near Barnard Castle, has been disputed by the building's owner.
Ivan Carter-Becker, who appealed to the government's Planning Inspectorate, said he had been unable to find new tenants to take on the lease, since the pub shut in 2023.
Dozens of objections were received by the council when the plans were discussed in July. Members of the Whorlton Community Benefit Society, who raised £200,000 in the hope of taking it over, said the establishment was vital to the community.
Campaigners hope to turn it into an asset of community value, but must raise thousands more pounds.
When it refused the plans, the local authority said Mr Carter-Becker had failed to show that the pub was no longer viable.
Bridge closure impact
Whorlton residents said the closure of the village's suspension bridge in August 2019 had reduced the number of visitors to the area, including the Grade II listed pub.
The bridge's closure and work to rebuild it, which started in 2024, was also leading to long detours.
Mr Carter-Becker said the business had faced "significant economic changes and challenges" since then.
In an appeal letter, he said: "The justification forwarded by the local planning authority for their refusal does not stand up to scrutiny.
"It is largely based on incorrect assumptions regarding the business, a flawed analysis of the facts around the trading history of the property, the impact of the closure of Whorlton Bridge and the causes of non-viability at the property."
He also said turning the pub into a house would allow the listed building to be retained, with a benefit to the surrounding conservation area.
The building, which dates back to the early 1800s, remains on the market with a price tag of £350,000, the Local Democracy Reporting service said.
The appeal will be considered by the government's Planning Inspectorate, with a final decision due in 2026.
