Agenda item - Protecting Public Houses

This report is in response to the motion passed by Council on 11 December 2014 in relation to protecting public houses. It provides Members with background information in relation to the options available to the Council to potentially afford greater protection to public houses, including Article 4 Directions and the Assets of Community Value Register.

Resolved: That having considered the options, recommendation of the Local Plan Working Group and the various representations Executive agree for:

(i) Council to build on Option one in the report and to note the desire of the Local Plan Working Group to go above and beyond this in proactively encourage awareness of protecting community pubs with ACV’s (Assets of Community Value), including featuring in the Our City newsletter;

(ii) The important role of ward councillors in pinpointing pubs and other community assets for consideration for protection be acknowledged and a member briefing note and all member sessions be organised; other interested parties including Parish Councillors and Residents Associations to be allowed to attend.

(iii) A dedicated page on the council website be set-up to provide guidance on the process for registering as an ACV. This page to include links to where user friendly advice on making an application can be found.

(iv) A press release be sent to relevant media outlets, working with interested parties including York CAMRA and pub landlords offering interviews / photo opportunities, emphasising work on pub protection;

(v) An investigation of a collaboration with local media outlets similar to that of ‘Be Vocal For Your Local’;

(vi) Continuing work with interested parties including York CAMRA and pub landlords in the formulation of pub friendly planning law within the Local Plan to ensure as and when there are planning applications the Local Plan is robust enough to stop inappropriate development that would be detrimental to a particular pub and associated community.

(vii) Continuing to monitor the workload and associated costs of work being done, mindful of what is legally required and also how potentially working with other interested parties saves the council work.

Reason: To more widely promote the assets of community value register and to provide communities with guidance on how pubs can be nominated and protected through the register, with the aim to ensure that valued public houses are afforded protection from change of use and demolition.

Consideration was given to a report prepared in response to a motion passed by Council on 11 December 2014 in relation to the protection of public houses. The report provided background information in relation to the options available to the Council to afford greater protection to public houses.

Copies of the draft minutes of the Local Plan Working Group (LPWG) meeting on 19 October 2015 setting out in Minute 9 details of the Group’s deliberations and recommendations in response to the motion, was circulated at the meeting. It was noted that the LPWG had considered the following options and they had recommended their support for Options 1and 2 as a minimum:

1. More widely promote the provisions for nominating the listing of pubs as assets of community value and provide guidance on the nomination process and consider any request for immediate Article 4 Directions for specific public houses where there is a justified and urgent requirement for protection.

2. Explore the implementation of a city wide Article 4 Direction to remove permitted development rights and protect public houses.

3. No further work to be undertaken.

4. Another alternative approach to protecting public houses proposed by Members.

It was also noted that the Leader had confirmed that he would be exploring further options and undertaking talks with interested stakeholders prior to the Executive meeting.

The Chair confirmed details of his further discussions with interested stakeholders and Members to ascertain the most appropriate method of providing greater protection. He confirmed that following discussions with a number of interested parties and listening to earlier speakers he suggested a number of revisions to the Officer recommendation and it was