The long-running fight to save a pub in a Warsop village from demolition is finally over.

A saga spanning almost five years left the future of The Three Lions boozer on Netherfield Lane, Meden Vale in the balance.

But now Mansfield District Council has finally announced its decision to grant planning permission for housing development at the site.

It means the pub, which was built by Mansfield Brewery back in 1967, will be knocked down and replaced by 41 homes, all classed as affordable.

The Three Lions pub in Meden Vale was regarded as a community hub but has been closed since 2022. (PHOTO BY: Savills)

placeholder image — The Three Lions pub in Meden Vale was regarded as a community hub but has been closed since 2022. (PHOTO BY: Savills)

The new properties will comprise 28 one-bedroom apartments, one two-bedroom bungalow, seven two-bedroom houses and five three-bedroom houses.

The saga dates back to the summer of 2021 when an initial scheme for 48 homes was lodged with the council.

That was blocked after hundreds of residents, led by Coun Phil Shields, rallied round to get the site registered as an asset of community value (ACV).

As a result, the pub was officially recognised as a community hub and protected from development, giving Meden Vale residents the chance to find a way of buying the pub and keeping it alive.

Another view of The Three Lions boozer in Meden Vale, which was built by Mansfield Brewery in 1967.

At the time, Coun Shields said saving the pub had “become the be-all and end-all for residents” and losing it would have “destroyed the village”, which was already in danger of deteriorating into a ‘ghost town’.

However, the campaign turned sour because no-one stepped forward to buy The Three Lions.

It was put on the market by estate agents Savills for six months, with an asking price of at least £500,000. But there were no concrete offers and the pub closed in January 2022 because of “financial struggles and declining custom”.

Later that year, a fresh planning application was submitted by the Liverpool-based company Shape Land and Property Ltd.

Similar complaints were lodged about the loss of a community asset, housing that would not be in keeping with the local area and fears that the village’s infrastructure would be overwhelmed by dozens more residents.

However, after a lengthy, two-and-a-half-year spell of consultations and amendments, the scheme has now been approved, with various conditions attached.

The applicants have also agreed to make a range of financial contributions to boost public services and facilities in Meden Vale, such as healthcare, highways, public transport, landscaping and open space.

The council previously said: “While the loss of the pub would result in harmful social impacts.….the benefits of the affordable housing are considered to be substantial and, in this case, would outweigh the harm identified.”

The value of The Three Lions was also questioned by the applicants, who carried out a viability assessment that concluded its facilities, before closing, were “considerably inferior to those required by a modern customer”.

The assessment added the pub had a “lack of food offering”, a “general poor appearance”, “stagnated” customer-levels and reductions in drinking volumes, which had all led to a “significant fall in trade”.

It was estimated that an investment of about £225,000 was needed to bring the pub up to modern standards.

The developers are now expected to begin work on the site within the upcoming months.

THE details of many planning applications can be found in public notices advertised by local and regional newspapers. To catch up on all the latest public notices, go to https://publicnoticeportal.uk/