New lease of life for city pub that was doomed for years

WORK is finally under way to bring a historic Kings Norton pub back to life after fears the venue would be bulldozed.

Workmen have moved in on the Navigation Inn, as efforts to transform the venue into a JD Wetherspoon began.

The renovation on the 19th century pub had stalled due to the pandemic, but with work starting as planned, the venue should open for business on November 23.

The Wharf Road pub renovation follows fears it would never open after years of planning applications to demolish it.

Locals battled numerous designs to bulldoze it, including talks for a supermarket. In 2011, then-owners The Spirit Pub Company planned to sell the pub to the Co-op. The concept of a grocery store was met with objection from residents, politicians and businesses alike. The campaign against the proposal was successful, with city planners rejecting the application.

Plans were resubmitted again twice in 2012, but again campaigners opposed and Birmingham City Council rejected both applications, saying the pub should not be demolished as it was a heritage asset and used for social and community activities.

In 2014, The Spirit Pub Company and Sainsbury’s submitted a new planning proposal to demolish the pub and build a modern grocery store. Again, the proposals were rejected by the council.

The companies persisted and took an appeal to the government’s Planning

Inspectorate. In 2015, they received the news that the government’s inspector had turned down their appeal, citing safety concerns and the adverse affect on the Kings Norton Conservation Area.

Its eventual closure in 2018 sparked heartbreak for locals, but it is hoped the opening of the Wetherspoon pub at the site will give the building a new lease of life.