Grade II-listed pub's decking, dining area and canopy given approval by Stockton Council

The Vane Arms in Thorpe Thewles.
-Credit:Google


A grade II-listed village pub in a 17th-century building has been given permission to carry on using a decking and dining area.

The Vane Arms on Durham Road, Thorpe Thewles asked for listed building consent "to regularise works undertaken including the erection of a link 'orangery' extension between the main building and the rear outbuilding". The outbuilding had been converted for dining and storage, with a new set of doors and extra dining floorspace in the link extension, says a Stockton Council report.

A 20sqm timber decking area with walkway had been built in the two-storey pub's back beer garden for outdoor drinking and dining, framed by timber posts and enclosed by fencing. The pub asked for consent to the retrospective plans for the decking area and glazed canopy.

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Grindon and Thorpe Thewles Parish Council supported the plan "as a valued local business" as long as the pub's management continued to minimise disturbance to residents, especially those overlooking the field and beer garden. The applicant had been to a parish council meeting to explain the plan.

A council historic buildings officer said the alterations were in a tradition of "piecemeal additions to suit the current owners", like an early 20th-century mock Tudor façade, and raised no concerns about the uses. However the officer said it was "disappointing" that works were carried out before the application was submitted, and said the use of UPVC for the doors, windows and glazed canopy "introduce an unsympathetic material to the building and create an incongruous feature to these areas".

One objector raised issues such as the decking being "unsightly", a "constant and unsettling" loss of privacy from pub customers, bringing diners much closer to the home making the garden "no longer a quiet and relaxing place", littering from beer mats and napkins, noise such as music and customers "shouting and using foul or lewd language", customers trying to retrieve footballs, an increase in "nuisance, dangerous and obstructive parking", and concerns regarding consultation and boundaries.

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Planning officers said they found the materials were used for a "more slimline effect" and the development would lead to "less than substantial harm of the grade II listed asset", not enough to warrant refusing the plan. They also said the works to the outbuilding were acceptable as they were done "to an extremely high standard" allowing it to work as part of the pub rather than leaving it to deteriorate.

Views 'limited to those who abut the site'

They said despite concerns about the outdoor decked area being out of character with the area, it was a "lightweight structure" which could be easily dismantled, with views "limited to those who abut the site and are not visible to the wider public domain". They concluded: "The structure is not of such visual detrimental harm in which is adversely impacts upon the beer garden and wider setting of the grade II listed asset.

"Overall, the development on the whole, for reasons as set out above does not adversely impact upon the character and appearance of the building and beer garden, nor does it adversely impact upon the significant of the heritage asset.

"The objection received has been given full consideration... There are no issues raised which would warrant refusal of this listed building application." The plan was approved with conditions.

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A spokesperson for ELG Planning, on behalf of The Vane Arms, said: "We are very pleased to have received the approval for these works from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, and note that there was no objection from the historic buildings officer who confirmed the conversion of the outbuilding to the rear of the public house had been completed to an extremely high standard. We'd thank the parish council who supported the application confirming that The Vane Arms is a valued local business in Thorpe Thewles.

"The pub is a beautiful listed public house, and the works allow a better appreciation of the building, the private dining room in the former outbuilding being a spectacular space which really celebrates the period features of this structure. The approvals confirm the local authority see the merit of these new dining spaces in supporting the viability of The Vane Arms as an important community asset in Thorpe Thewles."

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