North Yorkshire Council planners have visited Bishop Monkton to investigate whether the Lamb and Flag development is breaching its planning conditions by putting up wooden fences at the front of the pair of semi-detached houses now made from the former pub building.

The site visit followed complaints to the Council by several residents. One resident, who asked to remain anonymous, said:- “These wooden fences are out of keeping with the character of the building and should not be there.” Another questioned whether the fences should be allowed in a conservation area and said that walls would be more appropriate.

A planning inspector from the Council has been to the village and is expected to make a decision soon on whether the construction of wooden fences constitutes a breach in the conditions of the planning permission for the development. The original planning application for the development included a design statement which stated that:- “ It is proposed to enclose the existing front forecourt of the pub with a new boundary wall to match the neighbouring properties, defining private amenity space for each property.”

‘Bishop Monkton Today’ understands that, if the Council decides the fences are in breach, the developer would have the option of applying retrospectively for permission for the fences. If this happened, the application would be treated as a fresh matter which the Council would then be free to approve or disapprove. Ultimately, it is possible that the developer could be ordered to remove the fences.

The developers, Ashfield Homes, told us:- “We have delivered this sympathetically designed development in strict accordance with its planning consent and conditions. At no point have the local planning authority conditioned a specification for the boundary fencing to the front gardens of the pub conversation houses. Great care has been taken to try and emulate the historic nature of the building as it has stood for hundreds of years. We are quite proud of the finished results and feel it has really lifted the street scene for the residents and all who pass by it.”

A decision by the Council is expected within the next couple of weeks.

A total of five homes are being built on the site of the former pub which closed in 2020. The pub itself has been converted into two houses; the former holiday cottage behind the pub has been revamped; and two new houses are being built in what was the pub carpark. Work is almost completed on all five homes and a sale has already been agreed on one house.