The Government Planning Inspectorate, in a decision dated 17 September 2012, has dismissed the appeal made against Kensington & Chelsea Council’s refusal to grant planning permission to turn the Cross Keys pub into a private residence. The Cross Keys, in Lawrence Street, Chelsea SW3, was described by the Planning Inspectorate as “much valued by the local community as a neighbourhood resource and meeting place, and for its contribution to the vibrancy of the local streets” and that it “contributed to meeting the needs of the local community through provision of facilities and as a place of social interaction”.
Greg Mulholland MP, chair of the Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, said in a congratulatory email:
“This is great news, well done all! I would like to visit the Cross Keys to see it for myself. A clear example of what I christened 'predatory purchasing' of viable pubs to seek to make money through change of use. This is a national scandal. Another is the deliberate production of dodgy viability studies to claim a pub is not viable.”
Dale Ingram, CAMRA's new London region pubs preservation officer, said:
"My contribution was a verbal statement at the hearing on behalf of CAMRA about the social significance of pubs based on Rick Muir's "Pubs and Places", the present near-catastrophic effect of London land prices on our pub stock, and cumulative harm to the historic character of conservation areas from the sequential loss of pubs and the effect of loss of use on the significance of the building. “
Dale is now working on the Phene Arms (again Chelsea SW3) public enquiry, due soon.
