Village pub extension is given green light

The Duke of Cumberland Arms in Henley has been given permission to extend its restaurant area along with its outdoor terrace and toilet facilities.
The Duke of Cumberland Arms (Photo: Google)The Duke of Cumberland Arms (Photo: Google)
The Duke of Cumberland Arms (Photo: Google)

The designs submitted to the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) would ‘conserve and enhance the positive qualities of the site, the village of Henley and the wider setting within the South Downs National Park’.

The design statement said: “The proposals are sensitive to the architectural and historic qualities of the historic building and its setting.

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“Disturbance to historic fabric has been avoided and the sensitive traditional design approach ensures that proposals are inconspicuous and appropriate to their context.”

In support of the plans, Henley resident Judith Ingham said in a letter to the planning authority: “The Duke of Cumberland is a valuable community asset and I would like to offer my support for the owners’ applications to extend, in order to improve the viability of the business.”

However, concerns were made by Easebourne Parish Council over parking.

Michael Bish, architect for the Duke of Cumberland gave details of an extension to the car park, and Sharon Hurr, Easebourne Parish Council clerk, said: “I can confirm that councillors are now satisfied with the proposed parking facilities for 27 spaces plus one ‘accessible’ space, cycle parking facilities and plans to discourage patrons from parking on the highway as part of this application.”

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The SDNPA granted consent for the development earlier this month.

The 15th-century pub has received numerous awards over the years and has been described as a ‘perfect country pub’ by the Waitrose Good Food Guide.