“Controversial” Rotherham pub granted permission to open for 12 months provisionally

Bosses at Deer Park retail Village have been granted permission to open a pub at a former farmhouse which has been converted into a café, with opening hours from midday to 9pm Monday to Sunday.

Permission was refused for the scheme in December 2021, due to “unacceptable levels of noise nuisance and general disturbance to local residents.”

However, a report by planning officers states that the “bar opened before a decision was made to refuse the proposals in December 2021”.

“The application is being considered by Planning Board due to the controversial nature of the proposal.”

A Temporary Stop Notice was served on 9th March 2022 requiring the bar to close for a period of 28 days.

To mitigate the reasons for refusal, the applicant will remove outdoor seating from the south-eastern elevation of the development; provide new outdoor seating screened by another building and solid timber fences; and provide internal toilets.

RMBC received 160 comments supporting the application, four objections and one neutral representation.

During yesterday’s (July 21) meeting of Rotherham Council’s planning board, Mr Lomas spoke on behalf of the applicant.

He told the meeting that he scheme is a “valuable opportunity to introduce a community facility into an area which is particularly deficient in such forms of bars and such amenities.”

Mr Lomas added that one of the benefits of bringing the building back into use was employment for the local community, which is “not to be sniffed at in the current economic situation.

“We have had noise reports undertaken…which clearly demonstrate that the main source of noise in that area is the road noise, which is significant, and certainly in our experience will drown out any issues with outdoor drinking.

Councillor Michael Bennett Sylvester also spoke in favour of the scheme, telling members that there are “very few opportunities in Thrybergh for anybody looking for either evening or weekend work.

“Thrybergh’s also received news that its 116 bus service will no longer be running over evenings and weekends, creating a further barrier to employment.

“If we lose these commercial areas, it’s reasonable to assume that eventually it will come round to being used for residential purposes, which would add extra pressure on local services.”

“It would provide a social venue for people where there is literally nothing at he moment. It is not somewhere that’s going to be having afternoon karaoke.”

Resident Mr Hickman objected to the scheme, telling the meeting: “I hear every car, every bang, every delivery that is made to that place.

“The amount of car door banging that goes on from quarter to ten in the morning while six o’clock, half past six six, seven o’clock at night, is continuously throughout he day.

“It’s that bad, that we just don’t go out in our gardens anymore.”

Resident Gaynor Hoden also objected, saying the premises had a “negative impact” on “mental wellbeing.”

“Our concerns are not about he site as a whole, they relate to the development of a public house. This has had a negative impact on close residents’ lives and mental wellbeing.

“The noise generated is just not acceptable.”

Permission was temporarily granted for 12 months, when RMBC will further asses any impact on residents, and a further application would need to be submitted.