Convenience store at former Aldwick pub will be allowed to receive 35 deliveries a week

A total of 35 deliveries will be permitted per week at the former Ship Inn in Aldwick if it reopens as a convenience store as planned.
The former Ship Inn in AldwickThe former Ship Inn in Aldwick
The former Ship Inn in Aldwick

Councillors on Arun District Council’s development control committee reluctantly approved an application to vary the conditions around deliveries at a meeting last week.

One Stop store was granted permission to use the building, which is currently empty, as a convenience store instead of a pub back in 2014.

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But community groups eager to see it restored as a pub and restaurant have been raising money in the hope of buying back the building themselves – read more here.

Originally, permission had been granted for 21 deliveries per week at the proposed store.

In June, the committee refused an application seeking permission to increase this to 36 deliveries per week, after a number of councillors raised concerns about the impact the delivery lorries would have on the relatively narrow road and the potential for traffic congestion – read more here.

The revised application considered last week saw this number reduced by just one to 35.

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This would include four articulated lorries per week and equate to five deliveries per day, with one arriving between 5am and 7am and the other four between 7am and 9pm.

Councillor Hugh Coster said of the new proposal: “As far as I can see, it doesn’t seem to be any different.”

Councillor Mike Clayden agreed and said it would be ‘absolute lunacy’ to approve it this time round.

“There’s no reason for us to change our mind on the previous decision,” he said. “I think all the concerns we had last time are still valid.”

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However other councillors feared that, as West Sussex Highways had concluded that the proposal had ‘no severe impact’ on the safety of road users, they had no grounds on which to refuse it.

Councillor Ricky Bower said: “I’m not content with what’s on offer but we have no evidence to stop it. That’s the nub of the problem.”

Councillor Martin Lury pointed out that an appeal had already been lodged after the previous application was refused.

Committee chairman Jamie Bennett said councillors were stuck between the legislation and what was right for the community, but said they had ‘no choice’ but to approve it.

“If we went to appeal I think we would lose,” he said. “That would cost the taxpayer money.”

The application was approved, with ten voting in favour and five against.