Revised plan for pub rejected

Plans to build a country pub next to its redundant predecessor have once again been given the boot by unimpressed councillors.

Father and son team Ralph and Alistair Noel previously had their vision for an all-new venue in Chartham Hatch, outside Canterbury, rejected by the city council.

And now, after piecing together a revised bid for the site at the old Chapter Arms, they have been stopped in their tracks for a second time by the authority’s planning committee. The pair envisaged turning the derelict pub - which has stood empty in New Town Street since 2017 - into a luxury fourbed home, while at the same time, replacing it with a smaller inn built on neighbouring land along with two new cottage bungalows.

But following a council officer’s recommendation to refuse, decision-making committee members agreed to reject the fresh application at a virtual meeting on Tuesday evening. They agreed the plan was “an unsustainable and harmful form of development” which would “erode the open and rural character of the area and result in unacceptable urbanisation”. Critics also argued the Noels failed to demonstrate that the old Chapter Arms would be unviable to reopen, rather than turn it into a house. Objector Jan Wood said: “The pub was trading right up until the keys were handed over to the new buyers. Some locals had farewell drinks with the previous owners and on no occasion was it suggested the pub will be closing. As soon as the new purchasers arrived a notice was put on the gate saying it was no longer trading.

“They bought an operating business and without even trying to trade for one day, they closed the doors. It needs to be recognised that the new owners caused the old business to fail.” But speaking last month, co-owner Ralph Noel said they took on a failing business which would continue to lose money unless they took action.

As a result, the Noels say they drew up the plan for a smaller, more cost-effective new-build which could become a community hub Chartham Hatch is “crying out for”.

A sketch of the proposed new-build pub, which failed to impress councillors

Ralph and Alistair Noel with their re-drawn plans for the site