Developers lose city centre flats appeal

An appeal by developers to turn the site of an historic former Leicester pub into apartments has been turned down.

Developers Deckchair Ltd had proposed to demolish The Black Boy pub building, at the corner of Albion Street and Chatham Street, and replace it with flats.

Earlier this year, Leicester City Council refused planning permission for the scheme, prompting developers to appeal against the council’s decision to the Planning Inspectorate.

Last week, the Planning Inspectorate dismissed Deckchair Ltd’s appeal, and upheld the city council’s original decision.

The decision has been welcomed by heritage campaigners in the city.

Leicester Deputy City Mayor, councillor Adam Clarke, said: “Although The Black Boy closed as a pub in 2012, the building remains an important part of Leicester’s history.

“The Black Boy is protected by our local list of heritage assets – the failure of this appeal not only saves the Black Boy, it demonstrates the credibility of the local list.

“I am very happy that the Planning Inspectorate has agreed with the council’s stance on this. Heritage of this sort should not be lost.”

A pub called The Black Boy has stood at the site since the 1820s, with the current neo-Baroque/Art Deco building dating from about 1927. The building has fallen prey to vandalism and damage in the years since its closure.

Developers had applied to Leicester City Council in late 2015 to demolish the building and replace it with a seven-storey student housing block, but were refused permission in late 2016.

The developers then challenged that decision by appealing to the Planning Inspectorate, which held a hearing in October 2017, giving their decision this week.

In its report, the Planning Inspectorate said that the loss of the The Black Boy was not fully justified, and that the proposals conflicted with both national and local planning policies.