After convincing EHDC Planning Committee members to almost unanimously throw out the first application to convert the Jubilee Tap Room, Selborne to housing and making a strong case that enabled the Inspector to uphold that decision on appeal, 'Save the Queen's' had to contest a new application tweaking the original to provide a fig leaf of community benefit which came before the South Downs National Park Planning Committee in Midhurst on 9th September.
As in the previous EHDC hearing, officers had prepared a damning-looking report but a majority of members saw through the arguments and in a hotly debated session enabled a majority to once again defeat the proposals. The proposed "aparthotel" holiday lets, a tap room with limited opening hours and replacement Field Study Centre were seen to be of very limited value to the local community and by no means an "equivalent or superior" set of amenities to the fine pub with serviced rooms and function facilities they replaced. Significantly members made the important point that the fact that the premises were in a dilapidated state should not be a consideration. Nor was the fact that Asset of Community Value status had been turned down.
So a good result, but another hard slog probably lies ahead either fighting a further appeal or thrashing out a solution acceptable to all. There is in fact a local consortium ready to buy the Queen's Hotel at a fair price and run it as a pub. With the would-be developer's dependence upon the hope value of an inflated development price again given no credence will reason prevail?