Flats plans for former East Wittering pub are refused

The proposal for the former Royal Oak Pub in Stocks Lane was put forward last summer, after the applicant scrapped previous plans for bed and breakfast accommodation at the site.

But, in turning down the planning application, which would see the site no longer used as a pub, Chichester District Council said it was not convinced the premises had been ‘vigorously and exhaustively marketed’, nor that demand for a pub at the site no longer existed.

The applicant has already secured permission to build a terrace of nine homes and a bungalow next to the pub, which are currently under construction, to ‘infill’ the residential street.

The council argued that, when the two schemes were taken together, they resulted in the creation of 18 new homes in total.

According to the local plan, affordable homes should be provided within developments of 11 dwellings or more.

But the council said it had not been possible to agree an appropriate level of affordable housing contribution with the applicant, according to the decision statement.

There was also no agreement for funds from the developer to mitigate disturbance of bird populations at Chichester and Langstone Harbours Special Protection Area, as required by the local plan.

The Royal Oak closed as a pub in 2012.

Co-op had initially planned to open a supermarket at the site, but later pulled out.

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