The Lymington Society

Press Release

Lymington Society Welcomes Decision to Recommend Refusal for Wetherspoon’s

The Lymington Society has today welcomed the decision by the NFDC Planning Officers to recommend refusal for the application by Wetherspoon's to turn the former Ford furniture shop into a an extremely large “destination” public house. We will be writing to NFDC Councillors on the Development Control Committee asking them to accept this recommendation and to continue to oppose this extremely inappropriate development.

The Society previously opposed this application when it came before the NFDC Development Control Committee earlier this year and was pleased that the NFDC Councillors unanimously rejected the application at that time. The company have now reapplied and this time have provided a wealth of information on their new proposal enabling the Society to look afresh at the application. From this new information it is clear that the Society's decision to oppose this unsuitable development was the correct one.

Speaking after the publication of the NFDC recommendation for refusal Lymington Society's Press Spokesman Don Mackenzie said: ,

The Lymington Society welcomes investment coming into the town which will benefit the community and provide jobs and services which the community needs. However any investment must be appropriate and not threaten the character of the town - as this proposal clearly does.

From the new details it is now clear that Wetherspoon's are proposing a massive development which will dwarf any similar public house in the area, and which will almost certainly put some, if not many establishments in Lymington, out of business.

Whilst welcoming any reasonable development which brings jobs and prosperity to the town, the Society remains deeply opposed to permission being given to such a huge “destination” public house in such an unsuitable location in the historic main thoroughfare of Lymington.

The chosen location, cheek by jowl with the historic St Thomas's Church and with the parish graveyard bordering the very walls of the building, is simply not suitable for a massive drinking establishment of this type.

The inevitability of public order problems from the up to 200 drinkers who Wetherspoon's envisage being accommodated, together with the noise nuisance to the many people living within earshot of the building, means that the Society feels it must oppose this highly unsuitable development which inevitably will have harmful effects on the character of the area in the years ahead.

The Society hopes that the NFDC Councillors listen to the unprecedented number of over 900 objectors and accepts the Officer’s recommendation to refuse this application.

Ends