Former Holywell pub site could be transformed into apartments and new homes

A former pub restaurant in Holywell could be converted into apartments along with five new homes being built on its site.

Flintshire Council’s planning department has received an application to convert the former Talacre Arms on New Road into four two-bedroom self-contained apartments and five new three-bedroom homes.

The pub was in use as an inn and restaurant until 2019. It has not reopened, is now vacant and in a deteriorating condition.

According to planning documents submitted with the application there is no longer a demand for the inn.

A previous application for demolition of the old public house, that stands within a designated conservation area, was rejected by the council two years ago although the building is not listed.

The owner of the site has since commissioned a review of the potential of the site for a redevelopment scheme that could be sympathetically introduced into this part of the conservation area and would not harm its character.

This review also re-examined the condition and significance of the existing Talacre Arms building to the character of the Holywell conservation area.

According to a design and access statement submitted with the application, structural reports have concluded that the Talacre Arms building is capable of being retained and adapted into apartment accommodation.

It states: “The application proposal is to obtain full planning permission for the construction of five new residential two bed terrace houses and the retention of the entire existing public house building.

“And the adaptation of the building for three self-contained apartments and a conversion of the rear part of the building into a two-storey dwelling. All the latter conversion units will possess two bedrooms.”

A heritage impact assessment has also been included with the planning application, outlining the building’s history and importance locally.

It states: “The building is of 19th century origin and is likely to have been a public house from an early stage and may have possibly been purpose built as an inn.

“The application property lies in an important position on the principal route between the Holywell town centre and the St Winefride’s Holy Well and other properties occupying the historic Greenfield valley. These areas are included within the designated Holywell Conservation Area.

“The statue of Christ, standing in an elevated position a short distance from the west boundary of the enquiry site is an important grade II listed structure in the context of the historic pilgrimage complex and the conservation area.”

According to the design and access statement, with time the condition of the building could deteriorate.
It says: “The site lies within the settlement limits of Holywell and is an appropriate site for sensitive housing development.

“The proposed option, involving the erection of five new residential units also enables the Talacre Arms building to be secured. Without this scale of enabling development investment in the retention and adaptation of the historic building would be placed at risk.

“Although the latest structural report concludes that the present condition of the building will allow it to be kept, further deterioration may place this option in jeopardy.

“The proposed option develops the Talacre Arms site in a sensitive manner that takes account of the special character of this part of the conservation area. The Talacre Arms building is retained in its existing form and the new row of houses gives a separation from the existing building.

“Consequently, there is a balance to the streetscene view of the overall group that comprises Castle View terrace and the new row of houses to the south part of the site. The setting of the listed statue of Christ is respected.

“The principle of this form of new development and the adaptation of the Talacre Arms into apartment units has been supported at pre-application enquiry stage.”

The proposals can be viewed in more detail in the planning section of Flintshire Council’s website.

Council planners will make a decision on the application in due course.

By Rory Sheehan – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).

[Photo: Google]