A FOURTH attempt to build a house immediately next to a Middlewich pub has been rejected.

Developers wanted to build a two-bedroom home with one parking space on land next to the Newton Brewery Inn, in Webbs Lane.

The plans were reduced in scale from the most recent rejection earlier this year, but Cheshire East Council has again turned down the application due to the 'form, siting and appearance' of the building.

Admiral Taverns, owner of the Newton Brewery Inn, lodged a lengthy objection to CEC against the latest proposal with serious concerns about its positioning harming the business.

It said: "The position of the house will adversely impact on our pub building and business from the point of view of the reduced prominence of our site and the desirability for our customers.

"This is very close to our building and to the pub car park. So, there is both a privacy issue from our point of view and potential for greater noise complaint from new occupiers even though the pub has been established for many many years.

"Is it really wise to position such a dwelling so close to a well established pub operation with car park to the front and busy popular garden to the rear?"

The firm also argued that the land in question is currently 'much-needed green space for Webbs Lane', that the property would be out of character with the area and that the pub could suffer a loss of light – while Middlewich Town Council also objected to the plans last month.

In its planning application, Northedge Architecture said it had taken steps to prevent a privacy issue affecting the neighbouring pub, noting that the property would be smaller in size in the latest plans.

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But in making a decision, CEC officers felt the building would have an 'unacceptable design' that would harm the area, and they recognised the impact of the property on the pub – as well as another neighbouring Webbs Lane home.

"The proposal would also adversely impact upon the amenities of Newton Brewery Inn to the north by reason of loss of privacy," a CEC report said.

"Furthermore, the future occupiers of the proposed development would also be subject to an unacceptable loss of privacy upon their private amenity space when considering the window located within the side facing elevation of the public house."

Earlier plans for a two-bedroom home on the site were knocked back in May 2017, October 2017 and February 2020.