Fresh plans for houses on Westfield pub’s car park

In an application to Rother District Council, developer Folkestone Trading Ltd is seeking planning permission to build two detached four-bedroom homes besides The Plough, a former pub in Westfield.

The proposals come after an application for a similar scheme – as well as an application to convert the pub itself into three dwellings – was refused by council planners earlier this year on the grounds it would have an overbearing impact on the street scene.

But, the developer says this new scheme would be of a similar height and scale to the existing pub building, avoiding these concerns. 

The developer also says the loss of the car park (which they said ‘encourages drink driving’) would not harm the pub business should it reopen in future.

In a design and access statement submitted as part of the application, a spokesman for the developer said: “The proposals will make good use of the site, providing a suitable size development and additional housing into an area of demand and requirement. 

“The existing garden area to the public house is 278m² and the proposed new garden area that can be accommodated to be rear of the public house is 236m² and is in close proximity. 

“The loss of the garden and car parking will not harm the viability of the public house.”

The pub sold at auction in March last year for £435,000 – £165,000 above its listed freehold price, according to reports at the time.

For further details of the scheme see application reference RR/2019/2412/P on the Rother District Council website.