Buying de-licensed pubs; can I seek change of use?

[buffalo747]

I recently read there are about six pubs a week closing down because they are no longer viable for various reasons... e.g.economic times,increasing overheads/operational costs,change in lifestyles etc.
By carrying out a little research, there are hundreds of freehold pubs for sale throughout the country which are relatively cheap if full residential use can be established if only the pub could be de-licensed.....There could also be the potential of further development perhaps.

Has anyone here obtained P.P. for this type of change of use?...I know how reluctant planners are towards an amenity being taken away but thought a strong argument to do so could be put forward.
If a pub was purchased,could you just shut up shop and extend the upstairs living quarters to the entire building and at the same time avoid business tax rates?
I may be wrong but thought retrospective planning may be granted after 4 years or would it be 10, even though the first floor is residential already

Any thoughts.......Bill

[pdk]

If you have access to many of these situations, the best approach is a carefully thought out planning led one. I would not advise you to do it via a breach of planning control. You need the advice of a good planning consultant. If you wish, look at my website.....

Regards,

PETER



NOTE: Peter Kyte BSC (Hons) DipTP MRTPI CGeog FRGS is an official LandlordZONE Topic Expert… For more information on Peter D Kyte Associates and Enabling Projects please see the websites at http://www.enablinguk.com and http://www.development-seekers.com. Any advice given by Peter Kyte in this Forum is of a general nature only and should not be taken to be a final and binding planning opinion. Based on any initial advice given you are strongly advised to seek a further professional opinion, which may involve a site visit and a detailed analysis of the issues... For information on the sort of work Peter undertakes please see TRACK RECORD (http://www.enablinguk.com/track.html), WORKING WITH INVESTORS (http://www.enablinguk.com/ur-property-investors-planning.html), and PROJECT TYPES (http://www.enablinguk.com/planning-project-permission-appeal-UK.html).. Please also see our range of URBAN PHOTOGRAPHS (FOTOG) (http://www.fotog.info). ..

[MrJohnnyB]

I recently read there are about six pubs a week closing down because they are no longer viable for various reasons... e.g.economic times,increasing overheads/operational costs,change in lifestyles etc.
By carrying out a little research, there are hundreds of freehold pubs for sale throughout the country which are relatively cheap if full residential use can be established if only the pub could be de-licensed.....There could also be the potential of further development perhaps.

Has anyone here obtained P.P. for this type of change of use?...I know how reluctant planners are towards an amenity being taken away but thought a strong argument to do so could be put forward.
If a pub was purchased,could you just shut up shop and extend the upstairs living quarters to the entire building and at the same time avoid business tax rates?
I may be wrong but thought retrospective planning may be granted after 4 years or would it be 10, even though the first floor is residential already

Any thoughts.......Bill

All A1/A2/A3/A4/A5 have permitted development rights for use as residential on the first floor, as they're ancilliary to the main use. The fact is that most planning policies in force in the uk require authorised marketing of a property for a set period at a market rent at the current use before any change of use would be considered. If you tried to convert the downstairs into a residential area you would just have enforcement action carried out against you.