Warminster pub to become flats and other Wiltshire plans

According to applicants Robert Selwood, The John Barleycorn on Weymouth Street has been vacant since 2016 and was marketed unsuccessfully in 2019.

Robert Selwood acquired the Grade II listed site in 2020 and will now convert the building into nine new flats.

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According to the plans, the pub has been vacant for almost a decade. (Image: DHA Architects & Robert Selwood) Although the ground and upper floors of the building will have a residential use, the basement will be converted into four office spaces for commercial use.

The application stated: “The proposals will involve a substantial enhancement of the fabric of the listed building and will being back in to use an attractive and prominent town centre property.

It added: “The proposed apartments will be generously sized and will be served by appropriate levels of parking for the location.”

The council’s conservation officer concluded that the impact of the development would be “largely positive” and the scheme would bring the vacant building “back into use”.

Robert Selwood was informed of Wiltshire Council’s approval on Thursday, March 6.

In other planning news, the council has refused a request to turn a pub near Marlborough into a home.

An application was submitted in November in 2024 that sought permission to use the Red Lion in Axford as a residential dwelling.

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The applicant maintained that alternative community use as well as mixed use have been considered. (Image: DPDS Consulting Group) Wiltshire Council has found that it has not been “adequately demonstrated with sufficient evidence that the continuation of the existing commercial use or alternative community uses would be unviable”.

The case officer report states: “There is an enforcement notice against the unauthorised residential use of the public house unconnected to the use of Red Lion as a public house.

“At the time of writing, this enforcement notice has been appealed against by the applicant.”

Ramsbury and Axford Parish Council’s objection was among the 39 representations against the scheme, with the main concern being the loss a “village asset”.

The application, made on behalf of Mr Michele Giallombardo, argued that that the pub was “not financially viable since the mid-2010s, with dwindling trade over a number of years amounting to only a limited restaurant service with irregular opening hours”.

It added: “As is well known, the subsequent coronavirus pandemic in 2020 resulted in the mandatory closure of pubs and restaurants during several lockdowns.

“Even when restrictions were lifted, the combination of additional external factors such as the impacts of Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis dealt a fatal blow to the food and beverage industry.

“This, combined with the applicant’s own deteriorating health, meant that he was unable to revisit the proposal for reopening the public house as a restaurant.”

According to the applicant, there has not been “significant interest” in the property and, where there has been, the interested party has “not been able to proceed with the purchase”.

However, Wiltshire Council concluded that there was “insufficient evidence” to demonstrate that the marketing exercise has been “as open and as flexible as possible”.

Also this week, the cricket club of a village near Chippenham has applied for permission for a new artificial cricket strip.

Biddestone Cricket Club wants to replace its existing strip with one that is two metres longer.

According to the club, this will allow the strip to be an approved English Cricket Board length.

Wiltshire Council should provide them with an answer by the end of April.

Finally, the Royal Wootton Bassett Sports Association (RWBSA) has received permission to develop the land to the north west of Gerard Buxton Sports Ground into a grass playing surface for youth football.

The RWBSA recently became the owner of the land and wants to join it to its existing sports ground.

The two youth grass football pitches will support fixtures for both Royal Wootton Bassett and other local football clubs.