Bid to turn former Horsham district pub into two new homes

Developers are looking to ‘sub-divide’ the building formerly home to the Royal Oak pub in Rusper in a bid to create two new dwellings.

Plans have already been approved to turn the pub into a four-bedroom home after Horsham District Council gave the go-ahead to a separate application for the site last year.

The latest proposals, submitted to the council last week, state no additional alterations would be undertaken to the outside of the building other than the creation of a new door for a second property.

In July 2017 proposals were put forward to turn the building into a four-bedroom home with single storey side and rear extensions.

At the time the council received more than 20 letters objecting to the plans with residents rasing concerns about the loss of privacy, the possible creation of more noise and the loss of the pub to the community.

However, planning officers recommended the application for approval after concluding the use of the building as a pub was ‘not economically viable’ and change of use to a single home would ‘maintain the character and appearance’ of the building.

Councillors agreed and approved the application at Horsham District Council’s Planning Committee North in March 2018.