ABOUT THIS BLOG

This popular and historic pub was acquired by its owners in 2009 with a view, initially, to building flats for social housing and then subsequently developing a small housing estate. Local residents opposed these plans from the start.

Planning permission was granted in 2010 after which the site was put up for sale. After many years of inactivity, building work finally started in July 2015. Locally, this was seen as good news. However, the houses have yet to be completed.

The aim of this Blog has been to keep residents informed of current developments and to record the long history of this small community's fight to keep its pub.

Saturday 15 November 2014

For Sale?

Eagle-eyed readers may have spotted that the "For Sale" sign, adorning the pub site for so long, has now disappeared.  An easy conclusion to jump to is that the site has been sold.  However, let's not be too hasty.  This isn't the first time it's happened.  We seem to remember that it fell down during a previous bout of windy weather.

On other other hand, something might well be afoot as the ad has disappeared from the James Du Pavey website.   Sold? Or taken off the market?  We'll just have to wait and see.  As usual.

Thursday 2 October 2014

And Yet More Houses

Readers may or may not be aware of the latest plans for building yet more houses in the area.  No, not in Rough Close but in Lightwood.  According to reports, plans have been submitted to build 200 "executive" style homes on greenbelt land adjoining Lightwood Road and Woodpark Lane.

As you might imagine, the plans have been strongly opposed by local residents who are supported by their local MP, Rob Flello, but not by the council's planners who are in favour of the proposals. Sound familiar?

And at an intended selling price of £750,000 a pop, these are not houses intended for local residents looking for their first home.  

According to Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the area is "at a competive disadvantage" when it comes to attracting high earners hence their positive stance on the matter.

Although not in Rough Close, the proposals do have implications for us: increased levels of traffic, for instance, on roads that already struggle to cope.  And if the proposals do go ahead, how will the inevitable stream of heavy contractor vehicles fetching and carrying materials to and from the site gain access?

If you want to find out more, here are some links for you.

Firstly,  here's a map showing where the proposed development will take place (it's the shaded area at the top of the image - as near as we can tell).
Click to enlarge













The local community has set up a Facebook page which you can access here (opens in a new browser window).

And finally, here's a link to the report carried by the Sentinel (opens in a new browser window).

Friday 23 May 2014

A Dark Secret?

A new for sale sign adorns the fence of the G&D site this morning: James Du Pavey.  By our reckoning they are the third lot of estate agents to try their hand at selling the plot.

By all accounts, the site has already been sold subject to contract on two previous occasions so what's the problem?  What's the stumbling block that's preventing completion?  What dark secret does the land hold that only comes to light when potential buyers look at the fine detail?  And will James Du Pavey have any more luck than Butters John Bee and Daniel & Hulme?

The site is now on the market at £625k so it looks like the owners have reduced their price a bit but will it be enough to overcome whatever secret lurks beneath the rubble of what used to be the pub?  Only time will tell.

We wish the good folks at James Du Pavey all the best with this one.  The saga has gone on long enough.

Sunday 18 May 2014

An Interesting Chat

We had an interesting chat with a chap from the Highways Department on Friday.  Seems he had been asked to visit the site following an anonymous report that something was not quite as it should be with the fence. 

Whoever made the report was spot on.  The fence has been erected several feet beyond the site boundary.  In other words, whoever put it up has "appropriated" land which isn't theirs.  We'd noticed it ourselves and, if memory serves correctly, one of our readers has pointed it out in the past.   Anyway, well done to the person or persons unknown who brought it to the attention on the Highways Dept.  Their representative has now gone away armed with a load of photos showing the transgression in all its glory.

Let's just hope they do something about it and have the fence moved.

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Sold Subject to Contract

Well, according to RightMove, the site is still sold subject to contract.

Friday 14 February 2014

Site Sold?

A number of websites advertising the sale of the G&D site on behalf of the agents report that it has been sold subject to contract.

Before & After

One of our readers has requested a "Before and After" photo to show how decisions made by the local authority's decisions determine the look and feel of our community.  Click on the image for a larger view.

The "after" picture was, of course, taken before the wind blew all the fencing down!  Perhaps we'll take another one showing what a right mess the place has become.