A HARD-FOUGHT battle to prevent Barnoldswick's old town hall being turned into a pub was finally won this week.

Residents in the Jepp Hill and King Street area of town, who had steadfastly opposed the pub plan, were in high spirits on hearing the news.

It came in a report from a Government-appointed planning inspector who ruled in favour of the residents.

He dismissed an appeal by would-be developers Inns and Leisure Ltd, lodged after Pendle Council refused planning permission for the pub scheme.

That effectively stops any proposal to convert the historic building to a pub or similar use and instead opens the door for it to be sold for a different use, such as flats.

Former Pendle and Barnoldswick town councillor Mike Warner, who co-ordinated the residents' campaign of opposition, welcomed the long-awaited news.

"I am delighted for local residents who have kept going despite the many meetings and delays that have had to be endured," he said. "It proves yet again that, with a genuine case and perseverance, a group of people are able to influence major decisions."

Barnoldswick councillor David Whipp said Pendle Council was again actively marketing the building and seeking offers from developers.

Coun Whipp repeatedly argued against the pub plan as a member of Pendle's West Craven Area Committee - the body which refused planning permission for it.

He said: "The residents' campaign has been vindicated. I said right at the outset that the 'devil was in the detail' with this plan and I just couldn't see an application for a pub use which could cope with the difficulties of that building."

The building's most recent use was as the base for Barnoldswick Town Council. It was also Pendle Council's district office for Barnoldswick, but when that was moved to the new Council Shop the town council was reluctant to take on the building alone and also moved out.

Owners Pendle Council put the building up for sale and, as the local authority, was legally bound to accept the best offer, which came from Preston-based Inns and Leisure Ltd.

Its bid of £166,000 was way ahead of the best bid from a housing developer - just £50,000.

Magistrates granted a drinks licence for the building, despite strong opposition. But there was still the hurdle of planning permission to get over.

The first application was refused on design grounds and inadequate access and an amended second plan was withdrawn at the last minute by the applicants. Then Pendle Council's own estates department applied for conservation area consent to demolish a boiler house and part of a wall to ease the access problems, but that too was refused.

Finally, Inns and Leisure put in a full application to convert the building to a pub, erect an extension to the rear and form a service area at the side. When that too was refused by the West Craven committee, the pub company exercised its right of appeal, and it is that appeal which has now been thrown out.

The inspector agreed that the proposed alterations to the building would "harm the character and appearance of the conservation area".

On highways grounds, he agreed the access along a narrow and steep one-way cobbled street was inadequate.

The inspector did not agree with objectors that a pub use in that location was unacceptable in general terms. But he did feel the proposed layout of the specific proposal would have an unacceptable impact, in terms of noise and disturbance, and on the living conditions of residents in the area.

For all those reasons, he dismissed the appeal against refusal.

His decision means that Pendle Council is now likely to get a much smaller return when it does sell the building for another use.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.