Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the of the Director of the Built Environment concerning the receipt of an application for the Still and star Public House to be designated as an Asset of Community Value (ACV).

The Committee noted the recommendation of the Planning and Transportation Committee.

Rev’d Campbell-Taylor was in attendance and expressed support for the application. He questioned the reasons given by the Planning and Transportation Committee for not supporting the application and advised that in his view the intention of the Localism Act was clear as approximately 80% of the ACVs granted were public houses. He referred the historical nature of the pub and to the narrow vote on which the decision had been made. He believed that the Planning Committee had misinterpreted the meaning of local community to mean “residents” rather than the wider community. He therefore urged the Policy and Resources Committee to support the application.

The Chairman of the Planning and Transportation Committee referred to the absence of a definition of “community” and explained the reasons on which that Committee had based its recommendation. Detailed discussion ensued during which, amongst other things, the following comments were made:-

·          more detailed information was required in order for the Committee to make a decision;

·          a number of Members expressed support for the initial recommendation of officers;

·          it was important to adopt a policy for dealing with ACVs before determining any application; and

·          the responsibility for determining applications for buildings and land  to be designated as an ACV was a matter for the Policy and Resources Committee.

After further discussion it was suggested that the application be deferred and that in the meantime a policy be developed and submitted to the next meeting of the Committee for consideration, together with the application. Members supported the suggestion.

RESOLVED – that consideration of the application be deferred pending the development and adoption of the City corporation’s policy for determining ACVs.