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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Sean Delaney, 26 June 2022.
Revised plans to transform historic Victorian pub The George and Dragon
in Swanscombe into Domino's Pizza takeaway.
Plans have resurfaced to transform a historic 131-year-old pub into a
pizza takeaway joint – just two years after they were turned down.
The George and Dragon has been sat on the corner of the junction between
London Road and Swanscombe High Street since 1891.
(I've traced it as early as 1843. Paul Skelton.)
As a former Victorian coaching inn the vintage boozer would welcome many
a weary traveller and in more recent times enjoyed success as a local
CAMRA pub of the year.
But despite its reputation it has not welcomed in punters for a light
refreshment since its permanently shut its door in 2019 when the
landlord and landlady announced they were retiring.
An application was later made to the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC)
to change the use of the premises to a food takeaway business with
franchise chain Domino's Pizza poised to take over.
But the bid was refused in 2020 and an appeal against the decision
refused by the Planning Inspectorate.
Planners said the proposal would result in loss of a "community facility
for non-community purposes" and deemed it an inappropriate location with
insufficient parking.
The George and Dragon Pub in Swanscombe has been on the market for many
years without success.
Concerns were also flagged over the length of marketing exercises to
explore the pub's continued use as a "community-led" facility.
Undettered, pizza bosses have now submitted a fresh application which
again seeks permission for the change of use for the vacant public house
to a hot food takeaway joint.
The proposed takeaway would operate between 10am and midnight daily and
will generate an as yet unspecified number of local jobs.
Plans outline a new layout to provide a customer service area with a
limited amount of seating at the front of the store with the kitchen
area behind.
At the back there will be a cold room, storage area and wash up area as
well as staff facilities. There will be eight car parking spaces to be
access via London Road.
The resubmitted plans come fresh off the back of new updated market
evidence after attempts to find a buyer fell flat.
The pub has been vacant since 2019 and has been on the market since
November 2018.
In its planning application, the applicant states that while some "very
limited interest" has been shown in re-using the site as a pub, no
realistic evidence was provided to demonstrate a purchase would have
been possible.
It says: "Five months have elapsed following the target market campaign
with no further interest in the site.
"In addition to the initial twelve-month marketing period, this is ample
time to establish that there is no potential for the site to be
reoccupied in community use."
As such the franchisee believes that the change of the use of the site
is in line with EDC's development policy.
The statement adds: "The proposed change of use will have significant
economic benefits for the local area, with the buildings re-use
resulting in the creation of a significant number of jobs for local
people, together with other benefits arising from the refurbishment of
the building and improvements to its appearance and streetscene.
"More ideas need to be sought to help the town become a positive place
to live..."
"It is therefore clear that the loss of the public house is justified in
national and local planning policy terms."
But the re-emergence of the Domino's Pizza plans have sparked more than
30 comments on the EDC planning portal, with most voicing their opinion
against the proposals.
The main reasons cited were traffic congestion, poor access and parking
provision and the loss of a community facility.
One commented: "This should not be allowed. The town leads more local
amenities, not pizza restaurants of which there are multiple within a
few miles.
Another added: "We have far too many low rate food places - why on
earth would we want to turn this lovely building into another one?
"This will cause traffic issues at this junction and put more delivery
scooters on the roads."
Kent historian Christoph Bull said: "I want the building to be used for
something but I don't want it to be destroyed or developed into a
takeaway.
"Swanscombe does not need more saturated fat in its blood stream than it
already has."
He added his preference would be for it to be converted into a German
restaurant but said whatever it's use it would face issues over parking
and access.
Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council has also voiced its opposition to
the plans.
A statement read: "Members of the Town Council, as local people, know
that the proposal would bring more traffic flow to the immediate
vicinity which already suffers from heavy use and cannot absorb this.
"The town council do not feel that this application does enough to
mitigate the reasons the previous application was refused with the
refusal being upheld on appeal by The Planning Inspectorate.
Its not the first historic building in the area to be subject to
redevelopments plans, with the All Saints Church opposite having been
converted into flats in recent years.
The "Alma" Public House in Swanscombe High Street was demolished recently
to make way for homes and the "Wheatsheaf" pub, also in the High Street
has been tipped to become flats too.
The previous landlord and landlady purchased the "George and Dragon" back
in 2011 and oversaw an upturn in fortunes.
Only eight years ago it was named among the 150 best local real ale pubs
in the country, winning the title of Gravesend and Darent Valley CAMRA
pub of the year two years in a row.
Its success coincided with the opening there of the Caveman Brewery in
2013 by Nick Byram and James Hayward, who went on to set up The Iron
Pier Brewery in Northfleet.
Domino’s Pizza Group's spokesman Will Hill said: "We’re really excited
about the possibility of opening a new store for the pizza lovers of
Swanscombe.
"A new planning application has been submitted by the owner of the
property we and are hopeful of a positive outcome.”
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