A bid to expand the historic China Hall pub to include four flats has been submitted to the council.
The plans would see the pub, on Rotherhithe’s Lower Road, have its ground, first and roof levels expanded to create the residential units.
However, the site has special “asset of community value” status following a campaign by real ale group, CAMRA, which means the application would have to go through a formal planning meeting if the purpose of the building were changed.
A date for the application to be considered has not been set.
Former landlords Mick and Linda Norris had faced the prospect of being turfed out of their home at Christmas Eve, as the News has reported, when the lease was sold to the off-shore development firm, Hamna Wakaf Ltd.
READ MORE:
- Rotherhithe’s China Hall Pub landlords to be out of their home and business by Christmas Eve
- Future of Rotherhithe’s China Hall hangs in the balance after site is sold to a developer
The couple, who had run the boozer for over thirty-five years, closed their doors in January after the developer reportedly offered them a lease that was double the amount they were previously paying.
The pair managed to negotiate a brief extension to the lease so as not be homeless over the festive period, and secured alternative accommodation on Camberwell’s Peabody Estate.
This paper was not able to contact Hamna Wakaf for comment.
The plans can be viewed on the Southwark Council website here.
We knew all along that this would be the fate of our beloved family home. Until the loop holes are closed and tenants are given proper protection, heartless companies will turf out hard working families and replace them with unaffordable flats. What’s more important to the local community four flats or a local community hub? My Heart breaks every time I go past what was my home