Fresh plan to demolish once-popular social club in Ashfield for flats and houses

In its heyday, St Joseph’s Catholic Social Club, on High Pavement, Sutton, had several hundred members and was a hub for entertainment and social gatherings.

However, a decline in membership led to its closure in October 2022. Since then, the two-storey building has been vacant and in poor condition, and has suffered a number of break-ins.

A previous plan to redevelop the site with a block of flats and houses was refused permission by Ashfield District Council in February 2023, and a subsequent appeal was dismissed by a government planning inspector.

Reasons given were that it would have been “a cramped and contrived form of development in layout and design”, with no safe or suitable access.

However, the owners of the building, the trustees of the Catholic Diocese of Nottingham, have since been in talks with council officers and now, a new scheme has been submitted.

It is to knock down the former club and to build an amended and scaled-down version of the original proposal. It would comprise a three-storey block of 12 apartments – nine one-bed and three two-bed – as well as six three-bedroom detached houses.

The details are outlined in planning statements compiled by the applicants’ agent, Alison Dudley, of the Eastwood-based consultancy, Zenith Planning and Design.

Alison explains how the building, which dates back to the late 19th century and sits to the south of the town centre, was bought by the Catholic trustees in 1961, initially for use as a parish hall and then as a social club. It was extended in the 1970s and 1980s, with a conservatory added in 1992.

"The club offered a range of facilities, including billiards, skittles and darts, was home to two football clubs and provided entertainment on a regular basis,” her statement says.

"It was well supported by local residents and had several hundred members. The club’s function room was available for hire for wedding receptions, birthdays and other gatherings.

"However, membership dwindled as the original members became older and, for several years, the club was not able to trade successfully.”

The owners are now confident that the new development scheme is acceptable, saying “the design would not impact detrimentally on the amenity of neighbouring occupiers” and there would be “no highway safety issues”.

With the site being close to shops and services in the town centre, the plan would bring to life “an under-utilised ‘brownfield’ site and “make a contribution towards meeting the housing supply shortage" in Ashfield.

The council’s planning officers are now considering the scheme and have set a deadline date of October 20 to make a decision or recommendation. Interested locals can post their comments on the council’s website.

Other planning applications received by Ashfield Council in recent days include these:

Unit 3, Southwell Lane Industrial Estate, Summit Close, Kirkby – prior approval for demolition of storage unit and internal office to facilitate storage of additional shipping containers.

Church Hill, Sutton – felling of dead or moribund lime tree to ground level.

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/