Bid to turn fire-hit Rushden pub into flats and shops rejected by council

Plans to give a Northamptonshire pub site a new lease of life have been blocked by North Northants Council, despite the arson-hit High Street venue having remained empty for several years.

Applicants Briggs & Hulland Ltd were refused permission to convert the former Feathers pub in Rushden into new flats, shop units and offices.

The developers applied to demolish the old public house and put a three-storey building in place with a separate two-storey block to the rear, encompassing two retail units, two offices and 10 apartments with 16 associated parking spaces. NNC planning officers rejected the plans calling the development’s design “unsympathetic and eclectic” to the rest of the High Street.

In January 2018 the venue was closed and soon after a fire broke out causing significant damage to the property. The premises was most recently known as ‘Fate’, after it was converted from The Feathers pub to a late-night bar and club.

The roof and inside of the building were destroyed when the building was set ablaze. The site is currently off-limits to the rest of the High Street and the remaining external walls are fenced off and protected by scaffolding.

Planning documents for the application said: “This proposal is an opportunity to replace the existing dilapidated building with a more contemporary up-to-date version of the existing building which could greatly enhance the surrounding area.

“The positive impact of bringing the building back into use will enhance the community of the town centre along with the associated economic and social benefits. The proposed development will provide real benefits to the vitality of the High Street and the provision of retail on the ground floor and residential above is clearly supported by the neighbourhood plan.”

Objections to the mixed-use space were lodged by Rushden Town Council which submitted that the development would have an “overbearing impact” on views from the High Street, a lack of amenity space for residents, and other concerns with inconsistencies within planning documents.

Members of the public have also complained about the proposed use of the site, calling for a hospitality-based venture to attract people into town. One objector wrote: “I know many people who feel that the loss of public houses in Rushden town centre has had a very detrimental impact on the town. Rushden High Street needs another public house and some new restaurants to attract people into the town during the day and at night.”

A proposal to convert the building into a restaurant and bar, similarly with eight residential flats at the back of the property, was given the go-ahead in August 2020. However, the new site never materialised and the planning permission has now lapsed.

With the application refused, no further plans are held for the derelict venue and it is unclear when the site will be able to serve the community once again.