We are pleased to have secured Permission in Principle (PiP) for the redevelopment of a former public house site at No Mans Heath, near Malpas, Cheshire, providing a route for the delivery of nine new homes.

The application involved the demolition of a closed public house which, despite no longer operating, remained a valued local landmark and had previously been designated as an Asset of Community Value (ACV). As a result, the proposal attracted a significant level of public interest and objection.

At an early stage, we advised our client that pursuing a PiP application would be the most effective strategy. This approach provided a more proportionate and cost-effective route to establishing the principle of residential development while ensuring that the application would be determined by planning officers under delegated powers rather than being referred to Planning Committee. Given the strength of local feeling surrounding the loss of the pub, this significantly reduced planning risk while still allowing all relevant planning issues to be properly assessed.

A key challenge was demonstrating that the pub was no longer commercially viable and that there was no realistic prospect of the site continuing in either a public house or alternative community use. To address this, a comprehensive marketing exercise was undertaken by local agents Legat Owen, testing demand for both scenarios. No credible interest emerged, providing clear evidence that the site’s existing use was no longer sustainable.

Working alongside specialist consultants on heritage and highways matters, we assembled a robust evidence base which demonstrated compliance with local and national planning policy requirements. Cheshire West and Chester Council accepted the case and granted Permission in Principle for the development.

The decision represents an important step forward for the site, enabling the delivery of much-needed housing while bringing a vacant and unviable property back into productive use.

This project highlights the importance of selecting the right planning strategy from the outset and demonstrates how a carefully considered PiP application can provide certainty, reduce costs and successfully navigate complex and sensitive planning issues.