Plans to turn old Kirkby snooker hall into flats get the green light

Plans were submitted to Ashfield Council earlier this year detailing proposals to convert the former Kirkby Cross Snooker Hall on Chapel Street into three one-bedroom flats.

The snooker hall closed in March last year and has been empty ever since.

Prior to being a snooker venue, it was a Methodist chapel.

Supporting papers for the proposals said: “The first-floor areas of the former chapel have been used for residential use for many years.

“The present proposals do not affect the use of the first-floor areas.

“A large area of unused/underused land includes an access driveway from the main road between the existing building and two adjacent two-storey stone cottages which are owned by the applicants and are currently rented out.

“The proposal to divide the area into three small residential units provides an opportunity to bring this vacant area back to some viable use, at the same to add some much-needed residential units to the housing stock of the district.”

Papers continued that each of the new units will have its own front entrance and facilities and each would be self-contained with its own mains services.

Historic England said it had no comments or objections to the proposals unless any signifcant material changes were to be made to the plans as they stand.

Ashfield Council’s planning committee said it had decided to grant permission for the plans to go ahead as they were satisfied they were in keeping with the policies and proposals of the Ashfield local plan.