Statement regarding Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent

The Pinner Association

(Registered Charity 262349)

Statement regarding Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent

On the 25^th October 2017 Harrow Council’s Planning Committee refused consent to Greene King Pub Partners to convert the first floor of their Grade II Listed pub at 31 High Street, Pinner (known as “The Queen’s Head”) from a residential flat into five hotel rooms. Later that evening a Facebook post by The Queen’s Head was published, critical of Harrow Council and The Pinner Association.  The Pinner Association has published this statement in order to correct some factual misunderstandings.

The reasons for Harrow Council’s refusal of the Listed Building consent are:

“The proposed works, by reason of the removal of historic doors including those dating to 1700 and 1800, the cutting through of a stair tower dating to circa the 16th/17^th Century (including a historic window and timber framing), and the insertion of multiple en-suites (which would conceal historic timber framing, undermine the historic floor plan and increase risk of damp and decay to exposed historic fabric including timber framing) and insertion of front extract vents, would cause harm to the special interest of 16^th Century timber framed listed public house extended/altered in the 17th, 18th and 20^th centuries. There is not clear and convincing justification for the harm (including consideration of clear less harmful alternatives) or public benefits to outweigh the harm (including consideration of optimum viable use),……….”

The Pinner Association supports the applicant’s aim to provide hotel accommodation in Pinner, but agreed with a well-respected local historian who objected to one aspect of the submitted design, cutting through the wall of the 16th / 17th century stair tower, because of the irreversible adverse impact it could have on this historic building.  We also supported her suggestion for what we believe to be a feasible design modification to remove the need to cut through the ancient fabric of the building and allow the first floor to be brought into use as hotel rooms.

Harrow Council turned down the submitted plans on many more grounds than the Pinner Association’s sole objection.  It is the pub’s history and heritage that make it one of the best-loved buildings in Pinner and the Council’s view is that the proposals would cause considerable harm to the special nature of the building.

The pub was previously granted permission in 2009 to build a block of 4 guest accommodation hotel units at the rear of its car park, behind the building, but this has never been built.  The Pinner Association was supportive of that proposal.  Although that planning permission has now lapsed, it would be open to Greene King to submit it again.  Having been approved once it is likely that it would be approved a second time and if so would enable the pub to offer guest accommodation without causing irreversible damage to the historic building.

Issued by The Pinner Association

9^th November 2017

Note:     We estimate that Harrow Council receives around 450 planning applications a year from Pinner (i.e. Pinner and Pinner South wards).  The Pinner Association is routinely notified of all of these and, like any member of the public, has the opportunity to submit objections and statements in support to Harrow Council.  The Association only considers applications whose impact extends beyond the building/site of the application.  We take particular interest in those falling within the designated Conservation Areas and those affecting Listed Buildings, as such features contribute significantly to Pinner’s special character.  Where the Association submits an objection, it only does so following detailed discussion and approval by its Executive Committee.  The Association only objects to around 13 applications a year on average, i.e. less than 3% of all those submitted in the Pinner and Pinner South wards.

The Association is keen to recruit new members onto its Executive Committee – please email us at [email protected] if you are interested.