NEW LIFE could be breathed into a ‘dilapidated’ Welland pub if plans to develop the area are given the go-ahead.
However proposals to build 19 homes on the site of the Pheasant Inn, which has been closed for five years, have been criticised as being over developed and not financially sustainable for the pub in the long run.
Viv Nelson, a resident of Drake Street, told The Observer the development would ‘cut through’ part of the pub and questioned how landlords would be able to turn over a profit.
“As it stands, the planning permission has gone backwards and forwards,” she said.
“The idea is all these houses will be there in order to keep the pub open but there is no plan or promise as to how that will happen.
“If it could not make a decent living when it had a function room, children’s playground and parking spaces, how on earth will they do it now?”
Plans include demolishing part of the existing building, turning the upstairs into an apartment, retaining the pub downstairs and building 19 properties on the unused land surrounding it.
“This is an eyesore,” Viv added. “It is derelict and the more derelict it becomes the owner has probably thought ‘well there is justification here to turn it into a building site’.
“It would be slicing into a 250-year-old building which I don’t think is a good idea.
“The worst case will be if someone comes in and applies for a change of use and turns it (the pub) into a residential property.
“It would be so sad if we were to lose part of a village community.”
Landlord Peter Bailey was unavailable for comment when contacted by The Observer.
