‘Great opportunity’ for village pub as car park and beer garden plans unanimously backed

Members of Ashfield Council’s planning committee approved the plans for The Royal Oak, Palmerston Street, Westwood, at their latest meeting.

The application sought to change the use of agricultural land behind the pub into a car park to serve the pub and its customers, alongside an extension to the pub’s beer garden and the installation of a new children’s play area.

The meeting heard the proposed car park would wrap behind existing housing and create about 26 spaces.

The beer garden extension will be based along the southern edge of the agricultural field, with the play area 13 metres west of the extended beer garden.

The plans were lodged as a way of addressing parking issues along Palmerston Street and to allow customers to park at the pub.

The meeting heard issues are regularly felt due to the narrow width of the road, existing double yellow lines and a limit to the size of the existing car park.

The authority received 105 letters in support of the application, with residents overwhelmingly supportive.

Comments included the extra parking would “improve road safety” as well as helping the economy and supporting the only pub left in the village.

Councillors supported the proposals and said they will do what they can to help the business thrive.

Coun Jason Zadrozny, council leader, said: “Clearly, neighbours in massive numbers have spoken to support this application. You don’t normally get that.

“They’ve said this is a great venue which is a proper asset to the community and they’ve asked us to support this. “It would be impertinent of us not to do that.”

Nathan Byrne, the pub’s director, said afterwards: “I’m really thrilled. It’s a massive benefit to the pub and to the community as well.

“Just having the space for customers to feel safe when they’re coming to us is important.

“They’re currently parking on the street, not being able to find somewhere to park or being put off by the amount of cars here.

“It’s a great opportunity for the pub to go further.”