Vacant flats and pub to go at last
PLANNING chiefs have given the green light for a vacant block of bedsits in Runcorn to be demolished and replaced with houses.
Councillors on Halton Borough Council’s development control committee gave the goahead on Monday for Plus Dane to bulldoze Tanhouse flats in The Brow estate and build 16 twobedroom homes in its place.
The three-storey building has fallen into disrepair in recent years after it shut in 2016 and had become a target for vandals.
Before Monday’s decision meeting, residents had raised concerns over potential issues relating to increases traffic, damage to buildings from construction vibrations, school access and a ‘lack of parking’ for householders in neighbouring properties.
Some had written to Halton Council in favour of the building’s demolition.
Planning officers had reported that a gap between two of the houses to be built is not big enough to meet the usual standards needed, but said the ‘constrained’ nature of the site means that a one-metre shortfall is ‘inevitable’ and ‘acceptable’.
They added that some of the communal car park will be kept for public use, such as during pick-ups and drop-offs at The Brow school nearby.
The existing Tanhouse flats block has 35 one-bedroom bedsits and The Old Transporter pub, which is to be demolished as part of the plans.
Among those to have voiced concern over the site before Plus Dane’s plans emerged were Halton Castle ward local election candidate Darrin Whyte, who called the derelict block ‘an eyesore’ and drain on the housing ● market, and Police Constable Zoe Bowden who said last year that vandals were targeting the building.
The scheme had been recommended for approval.
In 2015, The Taxpayers’ Alliance revealed that The Old Transporter was one of three pubs in Runcorn for which Halton Council owned the lease.
Plus Dane Housing owns more than 13,500 homes, employs more than 500 staff and has an asset value in excess of £570m.