Site of demolished pub in High Town to be transformed with 19 new flats

Planning approval has been given for 14 two-bed and five one-bedroom apartments at the site of the Old English Gentleman pub by the council's development control committee.

The vacant land on the corner of Hitchin Road and Burr Street in High Town is currently used as a temporary car park.

The two-storey pub was built in the 1840s as a coaching inn but was pulled down in 2011.

Councillors refused a previous application for 19 flats on the same site last summer because of concerns over the internal space, and a lack of affordable housing and other contributions.

The flats will be contained in a four and partly five-storey block in keeping with a recently completed four-storey development of 97 flats on Hitchin Road, according to a report to councillors.

There will also be two car parking spaces and a cycle store.

Planning officer Abi Chapman told the committee there was no objection to the character and appearance of the building previously.

"The building has slightly increased in size at the back to ensure the flats meet the required space standards," she said.

"The application is accompanied by a financial viability assessment, which concluded it was not sufficient to provide affordable housing or other contributions.

"The revised application is considered to overcome the previous refusal reasons.

"And it will represent an efficient use of currently underused land on an allocated housing site."

With a low level of parking provision, the applicant will pay a Luton car club contribution, she added.

Liberal Democrat Barnfield councillor David Franks said: "There's an entrance arch which has the possibility of being quite an attractive feature on the building, but it also has the possibility of just being a hole in the wall.

"I would much rather there's a condition demanding the design of that opening and also any gate to be approved."

Highways development manager John Maple replied: "It would need to be railings because you can't have a solid gate.

"I suspect it's going to be a hole in the wall quite frankly.

"I'm quite happy with the suggestion the design should be submitted for approval."

Labour Round Green councillor Mark Rivers said: "I was concerned before about the height of the building, particularly in relation to the one next door on Hitchin Road.

"I think now we've got more idea what's likely to be behind it, further up Burr Street and the rest of the High Town development, that's not so much of an issue for me now and they've complied with the space standards."

Labour Farley councillor Dave Taylor, who chairs the committee, said: "There was also the independent viability assessment regarding the provision of social housing."

Councillors unanimously backed the scheme, with an extra condition over the design of the opening and barrier to the parking area to be approved in advance.