April Newsletter:
The St Helier Pub Group
Formerly The Campaign for the Morden Tavern April 2012
JOIN US! - Help shape the Tavern’s future— tavern.development@virginmedia.com
Facebook: Campaign for Morden Tavern
Desperate Developments
Reef Estates has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to have the
Council's decision to reject its planning application reversed. This is
effectively the last throw of the dice for the developer. The Planning
Inspectorate is a government body who will examine all the details of the Morden
Tavern saga and decide if Merton Council’s Planning Committee came to the
correct decision when they rejected the developer’s (Reef Estates) planning
application to build shops and flats on the Morden Tavern site.
It is astonishing that developer has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate
for its Morden Tavern scheme given the robust series of reasons for refusal of
consent given by Merton's Planning Applications Committee on January 12th,
including the loss of a valued community facility. But presumably they are
driven by the huge profit they stand to make if they succeed.
After over 2000 objections to the sale the community’s asset at a
below market value and 800+ objections from local residents to the planning
application, it was no wonder the Planning Applications Committee said at their
committee meeting in January that ‘this whole thing stinks’ and rejected the
application.
At both committee meetings where the case was considered, the our planning
consultant, Dale Ingram, called for the application to be called in by the
Secretary of State for his own determination, given the Council's compromised
position on the sale of the freehold. This appeal means that this wish has now
effectively been granted. The SHPG, supported by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA),
is confident that it will sustain its robust case to ensure that the secretary
of state rejects this application.
Merton's Rotting Asset
The Morden Tavern is a locally listed investment
property owned by Merton Council on the behalf of borough residents, with a 19
year lease owned by Reef Estates. In 2010 Reef Estates closed The Morden Tavern
after 70 years of business so that it could make planning application for
housing on the site of a closed pub.
Reef Estates failed to take care of the property and
soon after, squatters moved in, closely followed by thieves who stripped lead
from the roof, resulting in water damage. In addition, it is believed that
leaking pipes have also caused extensive flooding in the cellar, potentially
damaging the building’s foundations.
In the two years in which The Tavern has been closed,
the building has been left to rot. But this is not a building owned by Reef,
but by Merton Council on our behalf. WE own this property, but as each month
goes by, its value and appearance deteriorates further, costing US money. We estimate that it could cost in the region of
£100,000 to put The Tavern back in the condition it was 2 years ago.
Reef Estates has an obligation to maintain the property
in the condition in which they found it and Merton Council has a duty to ensure
that Reef sticks to the terms of the lease. The Council has not made any checks
or written any reports on the condition of this property in the last 2 years.
Council officers may have signed a conditional
con-tract to sell the freehold to Reef Estates, but the con-tract has not been
exercised and until it is, the Council needs to fulfill its duties. Please help
protect the assets you own - contact your local Councillors and ask them to
ensure that the Council enforces the strict leasehold conditions to which the
leaseholder is bound.
Cooperative Plans
Reef Estate's appeal to the Planning Inspectorate to
reverse the Council's rejection of their planning application for the Morden
Tavern site in St Helier will be the end of their development plans. We fully expect
its attempts to fail, giving residents an opportunity to step in, acquire the
property and re-open it as a pub.
The SHPG has been delighted with the response to its
last newsletter on the business plan and our tar-get is now within easy reach
In addition to potential investors in St
Helier, we have located several other
appropriate sources of funding. We have also received advice from Cooperatives
UK as well as the very successful Hope in Carshalton- another community owned
pub.
When the time comes to invest, we will need to move
fast, but will not ask anyone to part with cash before then. However, we are
keen to keep the opportunity to invest open to potential investors, especially
those who live in or near Morden or St
Helier. The minimum investment will be
£250, and in return you will get to own a part of your community and an annual
share of the profits. If you would consider an investment, or would like to be
kept in-formed, please email us at
tavern.development@virginmedia.com
JOIN US! - Help shape the
Tavern’s future— tavern.development@virginmedia.com
Dodgy Deadlines
It is disappointing that, despite having known about
the appeal since 20th March, the Council's planning department kept local
councillors and the hundreds of local objectors in the dark for over a month,
missing the statutory deadline for notice by two weeks. The St. Helier Pub
Group is aware that the planning department has previously favoured the development,
but it would appear that planning officials on occasion overlook that they are
there to serve elected councillors and the people of Morden.
The Morden Tavern affair has revealed several
short-comings in Merton's management, as confirmed by the Audit Commission and
Local Government Ombudsman, and the time has come for them to demonstrate their
commitment to fair play.
How to register your support
DEADLINE 9th May
Please write to the Inspectorate and let them know
why you oppose having The Tavern redeveloped and want to retain a real pub on
the site? It is popular support from the people of Morden that has made the
campaign against the development successful so far, and we need it now, more
than ever.
A written representation could include:
that Morden needs a pub;
what the closure of St
Helier's last pub has meant for you;
how important it is for St Helier's sense of
community that it retains a public house;
this would be a
community hub / social centre
It does not need to be overly long, but the Inspectorate
will consider each one in its deliberations. We need to get over how strongly
residents feel about this and that having a pub is core to St Helier's sense of
community. The campaign team will also make representations, but we need to
show that opposition to the development is widely held.
Please write via the inspectorate website:
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk
search using the case number:
APP/T5720/A/12/2172973
Click on the ‘Comment on this case’ link at the
bottom
In the new form that opens select ‘Interested party /
person’ from the drop down list.
Alternatively
you can write by Post to;
Planning Inspectorate, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, BristolBS1 6PN
Please quote the property address and case number;
Planning Reference: APP/T5720/A/12/2172973
Property address: Morden Tavern 144 Central Road St. Helier Morden SM4
5RL
You need to send three copies of your letter for it
to be accepted.
Remember anyone in the UK can register an objection to this appeal.
Remember the DEADLINE is
9th May
