Broxtowe village pub set to be demolished to make way for houses
A former village pub is set to be demolished and turned into new homes.
Broxtowe Council has given the green light for The Gardeners Arms in Cossall to be knocked down.
But the authority’s leader fears this will see the borough start to lose more of its community facilities.
Back in March 2025, proposals were submitted to the council to tear down the pub on Awsworth Lane and replace the site with five new modern detached homes.
The former pub closed in 2022 and previous plans to use the site for five homes were thrown out by the authority in the December of that year.
Applicant NG9 Developments’ appeal against this decision was denied by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate in early 2024 over the potential loss of the ‘valued community facility’ not being justified, giving former patrons a chance to buy the spot.
After lobby group Friends of the Gardeners’ unsuccessful attempt at finding the money needed to buy the pub, the developer made its third attempt to knock down the pub – valued at £350,000 – for the five new homes.
This was approved by the council on December 3, 2025.
Planning documents state the loss of the former pub does not ‘add to any decline in community services’, with “no desire” for the building to be purchased for community use, noting two pubs within a 15-minute walk away, including The Gate Inn in neighbouring Awsworth.
Speaking to the local democracy reporting service (LDRS), Andrew Ludlow, secretary of Nottingham CAMRA, called traditional pubs an ‘endangered species’.
He said: “There’s higher energy costs, no relief on rates, minimum wage and National Insurance going up.
“They say ‘use it or lose it’ – but too often people are upset they’ve lost their community facility, but don’t realise they can only survive if they visit it on a regular basis.
"Our concern isn’t just the loss of a real ale option, but pubs are often the last community facility in an area.
“Sadly, over recent years, any pub that has a decent car park or garden is now looked at by developers as provision for a mini housing estate – those are the ones in danger, pubs in a town centre have got a better chance of survival.”
Council leader Coun Milan Radulovic (Brox All) told the LDRS he fears Broxtowe will continue losing more traditional pubs.
He said: “There are no new things on the horizon, they’re being replaced by micropubs which are privately owned, bought much cheaper, and hire their own staff.
"That’s the biggest issue.
“More and more pubs will be forced to close because they’re simply not viable and economic because of the cost pressures – not just by breweries ,but by the Government and the cost of living.”
However, council papers also highlight isues the old pub has had with anti-social behaviour, saying: “The police have been called out on many occasions due to vandalism and breaking and entry.”
Over the past few years, the property has suffered vandalism to the point of ‘structural concern’ according to plans, with perpetrators ripping out the water tanks and flooding the building.