Butchers Arms, Oakerthorpe, Midlands

This project secured two planning permissions from Amber Valley Borough Council: one for the conversion of the Butchers Arms public house into a four-bedroom home, and another for the construction of three detached bungalows on the land to the rear.

A key consideration was addressing the loss of a community facility. It was demonstrated that the business was no longer viable, that an extensive marketing campaign had been undertaken, and that alternative local facilities were available.

Biodiversity Net Gain formed an important part of the scheme, with the planting of 51 new trees achieving an 11.49% net gain. Heritage matters were also carefully addressed through a sensitive design approach, ensuring the impact on the Non-Designated Heritage Asset was considered acceptable by the Council.

A two-stage planning strategy was adopted. The first stage involved securing approval for two bungalows while allowing time for the pub to be marketed in line with Local Plan policy LC11. The second stage followed confirmation that no viable interest remained for a community or pub use, at which point approval was granted for the pub’s conversion and an additional bungalow on the former beer garden.

This project demonstrated a strategic and adaptable approach to delivering planning solutions that balanced client objectives with policy requirements.