®Planning appeal decision
39 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AT
Planning appeal 3325156 at 39 High Street, Bristol, BS1 2AT (Bristol City Council) was dismissed on 14 May 2024 by Inspector O'Connor H, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: Whether the proposal would result in the unnecessary loss of a public house with reference to local and national planning policies.
Change of use from public house to a nine bedroom boutique hotel and erection of part fourth floor to create a further bedroom and outside space
- Authority
- Bristol City Council
- Appeal type
- minor · Planning Appeal
- Procedure
- Written Representations
- Development
- leisure-sport · Change of use
- Inspector
- O'Connor H
- Postcode
- BS1 2AT
Main issues, as the Inspector framed them
- Whether the proposal would result in the unnecessary loss of a public house with reference to local and national planning policies
- The effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area having particular regard to whether it would preserve or enhance the City and Queen Square Conservation Area and nearby listed buildings
- Whether suitable provision would be made for refuse storage
- Whether adequate renewable energy generation would be provided having regard to local planning policies
What decided it
The proposal conflicts with the development plan on multiple grounds—unnecessary loss of a public house, harm to heritage assets, and uncertain renewable energy provision—and no material considerations justify departure from the development plan.
The benefits of bringing an unused building back into productive use and reinstating an active ground floor were outweighed by the conflicts with development plan policies protecting public houses and heritage assets, particularly because similar benefits could potentially be achieved whilst avoiding the identified harm.
What the Inspector cited
- Development plan policies
- Policy DM6 SADMPPolicy DM5 SADMPPolicy BCS12 CSPolicy BCAP10 Bristol Local Plan Bristol Central Area PlanPolicy BCS21 CSPolicy BCS22 CSPolicy DM26 SADMPPolicy DM30 SADMPPolicy DM31 SADMPPolicy BCS15 CSPolicy DM32 SADMPPolicy BCS14 CS
- National Planning Policy Framework
- Paragraph 97Paragraph 205Paragraph 208
How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.
See how each was appliedThe decision letter
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What an account adds to this decision
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The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.