Sadness expressed as Flintshire pub approved for conversion into apartments

Sadness has been expressed at the demise of a Flintshire pub after plans to turn it into apartments were approved.

Councillors met on Wednesday, 19 June to discuss an application to convert the Tavern in Alltami, near Mold, into four flats.

The pub located on the A494 is currently vacant and applicant Karl Faulkner submitted proposals in November last year to create both one and two-bedroom apartments within the building.

The scheme was backed for approval ahead of the meeting of Flintshire Council’s planning committee.

It came after plans to build five houses next to the pub and to turn the property itself into a smaller number of two apartments were previously accepted.

Speaking at County Hall in Mold, Chris Bithell, Flintshire’s cabinet member for planning said he was disappointed by the failure of the business.

However, he said agreeing to the building’s conversion would help to bring it back into use.

Cllr Bithell said: “We’re all well acquainted with this building. It was a very popular local public house for many years.

“It’s really sad to see the demise of a public house, but it’s not unusual in this day and age.

“I think almost 4,000 pubs have disappeared from the scene in the last 12 months because they’re not being used as they once were. It’s a reflection of the way that people are living.

“This is a sustainable settlement in planning terms, and a use has to be found for the empty property, which is no longer needed for a public house.

“This is a suitable residential development in a residential area, so on those grounds, I have no objections.”

Documents submitted on Mr Faulkner’s behalf described the building as being in a poor condition and in need of a new roof and windows.

An accompanying statement said the pub would be “sensitively converted”, retaining key architectural features.

Cllr Mike Peers was among the committee members who supported the proposals.

He said: “The principle of converting this pub has been around for a long time, and there have been various attempts.

“I stop at the traffic lights by there on a regular basis, and the demise is sad to see, but if it can be brought back into use, then I fully support it.”

The application was unanimously approved by the 15 members of the committee present at the meeting.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter