Alternate plans to restore and convert a Brighton pub whose owner ripped off its distinctive green tiles have failed to gain the support of city planners.
Both sets of plans submitted by the owner of Montreal Arms, Charlie Southall, have yet to be decided.
When submitted, both were to convert the pub into a commercial space, create a separate entrance to the flat above and re-tile the pub – one in the original style and the second putting them on the upper half of the building instead.
The second application has since been amended to keep the use of the ground floor as a pub – but has still failed to gain the support of the council’s planning policy team.
Officer Helen Pennington said the team would not be supporting the application which keeps the pub usage because it was not clear how it could operate without any toilets, which are set to be demolished as part of the plans.
She added: “From the plans submitted it is evident that the flat was accessed through the pub and formed ancillary accommodation [i.e. the landlord’s home].
“The loss of the ancillary accommodation may adversely affect the future operation of the pub by making it less attractive to prospective operators, as well as through increasing the potential for noise nuisance complaints from future residents of the new dwelling.”
She said this meant the application was contrary to policy DM10 – the council’s new policy which safeguards pubs – and so could not support an approval.
She also submitted ant objection to the application to flip the position of the tiles and convert the ground floor, saying: “Although the viability assessment indicates the venue has been closed since 2020, recent lack of success does not necessarily indicate lack of need or demand.
“[The pub preservation policy] requires appropriate and prominent marketing activities at an independently verified fair price for ongoing use as a public house.
“Both freehold and leasehold options should be made available without a ‘tie’ requiring the purchase of drinks through the vendor and without restrictive covenants that would otherwise prevent re-use as a public house such that other pub operators, breweries, local businesses or community groups wishing to take over the premises and trade as a pub are not excluded. Evidence of this is also required.”
A council spokeswoman said that when planning permission is granted for any application, it is for what is stated on the decision notice rather than the application form.
She said: “The decision made on the application is limited to the decision notice which includes the application description, any approved plans/drawings, and conditions, if approved, or reasons for refusal.
“The information set out on the application form is a consideration, and the wording typically feeds in to the application description. But this could not be held as being definitive in establishing what has been approved.”
The council should be a bit flexible so that the pub l/commercial permise can open asap.
It looks very bad to have a commercial permise closed for more then 4 years.
Hopefully, people and council will agree on something.
Appreciate that, but the problem is if you are flexible on one thing, you have too be flexible on everything following to maintain a standardised approach. Because of that, I think it is better to be consistent.
How about donating £100,000 to a charity via the council preferably Ukraine one-and then let him render over the tiles and we all move on with our life’s and save council costs.
Absolutely not.
This would open the flood gates to people causing real damage to heritage and other buildings and them going “oops have some money for charity to make up for it”
I agree with Chris, that would lead to some really bad habits to be formed. Developers already do this whenever they can’t hit their 40% affordable home targets.
Why Ukraine and not children of Palestine ?
Let’s be “flexible” here too !!!
Not sure whether that means it has to stay as a pub or not. Too much Council jargon for me.
Yes. Basically.
Plenty of pubs around all “needing” more business, renovate this pile for housing, no more council time spent on ping pong non events,,,, GET IT DONE
Put it back to how it was. Follow the rules and stop letting people take the Mick.
Why he purchased this was to flip it and make a huge profit. Zero sympathy
This is a sorry tale, and now a stand off between a cash-strapped council, trying to preserve the pub heritage of the area, and a dumb developer set on getting what he wants – which is to cheaply turn the building into flats for a quick profit.
As it happens, I lived opposite this pub for over 30 years, and know the history of it well.
It is true that most corner properties in Hanover were once shops or pubs, but that retailing no longer happens in such small units, or in what is now mostly a residential city-centre area. It’s also true that the demand for these small local pubs has declined, despite the late license this one once held.
But in this case the discussion is about the heritage of the area, and the council should absolutely dig in their heels over the deliberate destruction of what was a listed building of local interest.
Charlie Southall has not only stripped the tiles from the building, he has also destabilised the building structure, to make it look like major renovations are necessary – when they weren’t.
I drove past there yesterday, and there are acrow props supporting the upper windows, and, with the tiles still in such a vandalised state, the building does now look derelict.
I guess he’s hoping some appeal to the government will override this local council decision.
This stand off and the subsequent delays would have been so unnecessary if he’d followed the correct discussion path in the first place, knowing that this was and is a listed building.
He’s all ready lost a planning appeal (the planning inspectorate is part of the government) over an enforcement notice.
https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2023/07/19/montreal-arms-tile-decision-welcomed/
Charlie Southall put himself in this situation, so I’m not feeling particularly sorry for the man. His best bet at this stage it to sell it to the council at a heavy discount.
Arrogant narcissist gets exactly what he deserves.
Good news day.
It sounds very like ” Charlie gets what Charlie wants” and never mind the Council !!!
Another Wonky House pub moment, where developers swim against the tide of Council objections.
Well said! As a long time Brighton resident, I’m sick of greedy developers seeking to trash our heritage.
Pat Butcher would never had stood for this nonsense
It’s simple. The owner developer carried out actions in contravention of planning laws.
He was ordered to ut it right within a year.
He appealed, lost the appeal and was given a further year to reinstate the building to it’s previous state.
The result has been that the building not only looks broken and is an eyesore, it has had more than 2 years of further damage from weather as it sits exposed, with exterior walls unprotected.
Just impose the original orders, fine the gentleman massively or imprison him for criminal damage.
Hopefully the war in Ukraine will be over before this saga is.
The owner must be a total amateur to not understand the consequences of ignoring Planning laws and then expecting what is a largely subjective decision by those he attempted to disrespect to go his way. What an idiot.
The Planning Dept have made life very miserable for others that have commuted far lesser crimes than this one. The Planners will attempt to scupper him and make life exceedingly hard from now on, with anything that ever comes up with his name on.
What a total naive idiot. The Planners are not stupid, and they don’t like being treated as if they are.
Brighton Planners are not particularly unfair if you go about things in a proper manner. There are many Planning Authorities far worse, and they’ll know his name now too.
Indeed, the maxim “You attract more bees with honey” comes to mind.
I lived over the road from this pub for a decade. What charlatan Charlie Southall did by wilfully vandalising and destroying those beautiful green tiles, is unforgivable. He also has not made good on the council order to replace them like for like. What a runt. He must make good on the tiles. And be dragged through the courts if necessary.
Future usage doesn’t much bother me. Another pub in the area probably isn’t commercially viable. But Southall needs to be taught a lesson about behaving so petulantly.
I played darts at this pub for many years great place and part of Brighton heritage Pubs and Darts are coming back those turned into fancy eateries are failing give communities a place to go and enjoy .Take the chancer to court and massive fine then jail him cmon council the balls in your court.