A BAR that has made a feature of sheds in its beer garden has been told it can keep the structures which were built without planning permission.

The Potting Shed in Main Street, Bingley, has won its appeal against Bradford Council’s refusal to grant retrospective planning permission.

The Planning Inspectorate also quashed an enforcement notice from the Council which had called for six sheds, a pergola and a barbecue shelter to be removed.

Both decisions mean the signature potting sheds, said to be “central to the appearance and identity” of the business can stay.

Planning inspector Grahame Kean said the pergola, six sheds and barbecue shelter encouraged increased use of the beer garden, but had not clearly resulted in an unacceptable increase in noise, loss of privacy, anti-social behaviour or light nuisance for neighbouring residents – as the Council had claimed when refusing planning permission in December.

“The structures are appropriately designed to avoid overlooking, and the current premises’ licence conditions and the potential for future licence reviews are capable of addressing any nuisance effects of that development on existing or future users and residents,” he said.

The Council had argued that the structures had intensified the use of the beer garden.

But the bar suggested that if the appeals were dismissed and it had to remove the pergola, sheds and shelter, the beer garden would become more open, allowing space for more chairs and tables with parasols and heating underneath, so the use of the garden was therefore unlikely to be significantly different.

In April, Council planners also told the bar to cut the hours its garden and terrace were open to customers following complaints from those living nearby.

Residents at River Walk, a sheltered housing complex at the back of the Potting Shed, had said the noise from people using the pub’s outdoor areas had left them unable to sit outside their properties and some had been forced to switch bedrooms.

Their complaints to police related to “excessive noise” from either music in the pub or crowds in the beer garden.

Bradford Licensing Panel ruled that The Potting Shed’s turfed and gravelled areas must be cleared of guests by 9pm, and its ground and first floor terrace by 10pm.

Jade Renner, operations director for The Potting Shed said: “We are absolutely delighted with the inspector’s decision.

“When we opened 18 months ago we saw the space at the back of the bar and thought a series of brightly coloured potting sheds for people to sit in and have a drink in summer would be a great addition.

“They are dotted around under the trees and cannot be seen from the main road.

“The area has been popular for parties and we have been mindful to ensure the noise was kept down.

“People told us they loved them and it gave us something unique. Without them we are just another bar and without the potting sheds we wouldn’t be able to call the bar The Potting Shed any more and would have to rebrand.

“There was an issue with noise and as part of the agreement we have removed an outdoor TV screen which customers had asked us for.

“This appeal has been a long process and we and our customers are delighted it is finally over and can now relax.”