Pub plan for former Courts furniture store

DOES Bexhill really need another pub? That's the question that occupants of flats over the former Courts furnishing store are asking.

Rother planning committee will shortly be considering an application from Retail Development Partnership of Haywards Heath for change of use for the long-vacant store from retail to public house.

The proposal is to convert the 485 sq. ft ground floor of Unit 1 of the recently-renovated building with entrance, lounge and bar area, servery, seating ares, kitchen and ancillary areas.

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The recent renovation and conversion divided the ground floor of the former furniture store into two. The western end of the building is the subject of the application.

But the conversion also created flats on the upper floors.

Paul Watts, who lives in Sackville House, is among residents who have submitted objections to Rother.

He says: "Are the residents of St Leonards Road and Bexhill aware that the freeholder of the old Courts building has applied for planning permission for change of use from retail to a pub, for one of the ground floor units?

"The two upper floors of the building are being let. Were the occupants made aware of this proposal? The pink planning notices have disappeared from the lamp posts.

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"Does Bexhill really need another pub, especially in an area which is becoming more residential? All the attendant problems that come with a pub will do nothing to enhance the area or the quality of life for its residents.

"There will be noise from deliveries, parking problems, late-night noise, smokers hanging about and property values dropping.

"This small area of town is well-equipped with places to drink already. We don't need more.

"What we DO need is a decent, modern furniture shop; a bigger and better W.H.Smiths or a cinema-something which enhances the community.

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"We read enough about the problems of violence and vandalism-both locally and nationally-much of it attributable to the effects of alcohol.

"Is this what we want for Bexhill?"

Another objector who says they are currently in the process of purchasing one of the flats, says a pub would have a "massive impact" on purchasers of the 11 properties.

The applicants say the design and access statement have been prepared in line with new government guidance.

They say the scheme is for an extension and change of use from a restaurant and cafe for which planning permission was granted last October.

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They say the intention of renovating the building was to provide modernised floor space to attract new operators who have been looking for premises of a suitable size in the town centre.

They say the external appearance of the building would remain unchanged.

Rother environmental health department says should planning permission be granted it would like conditions attached.

These include the fitting of odour control equipment; sound insulation for the odour control equipment; an 8am-11pm time limit on food preparation, cooking and sales; sound-proofing for the building and a condition that amplified music should not be audible from within any residential property at any time.