Proposals to revive Over Wyre pub back before planners

A scheme to revive an Over Wyre pub which had fallen into near-dereliction is back with Wyre planners – a year after it was approved.

The Golden Ball pub, based in redbrick Victorian premises on School Lane in Pilling, has been closed since March 2020 after the business, previously run through the Thwaites brewery, began to struggle.

It had been well known for its two bowling greens and beef carvery meals.

An application was submitted in September 2022 for an extension and extra development of the site, entailing a smaller pub and new flats in the upper storey.

The scheme includes the refurbishment, partial conversion and extension of the Golden Ball to create a public house/restaurant, shop, six one-bedroom flats and associated parking.

In addition, the project also entails the construction of two, three-bedroom bungalows, eight, two-storey three-bed houses and eight, two-storey two-bed houses; the creation of a public park; and highway improvement works.

The application was given the green light by Wyre’s planning officer on December 15 2023, subject to a number of conditions.

On Monday (December 16), virtually a year to the day after the proposals were first given the green light, the application was resubmitted to planners.

The applicant, Churchtown-based developer Brindle Homes, is seeking approval for changes to some of those conditions, including building design, landscaping schedule, lighting, provision of open space and operating hours.

The latter change seeks permission to extend the operational hours of the pub and the restaurant from 7am until 11pm to 7am until midnight.

Of those condition changes, papers on behalf of the application stated: “The reason for variation – to allow future flexibility of the use of the two commercial units to suit the demands of the local community.”

The developers are seeking the other changes for a variety of reasons, including to allow work on the first phase of the scheme to progress without being held up by conditions on a later phase, as these do not apply to Phase One.

The project is seen as being of huge benefit to the village of Pilling, replacing a run-down site with a vibrant development which will bring new residents to the community.

An original design statement from Benson Planning Studio, on behalf of the applicant, said: “The existing pub has struggled to demonstrate viability and left to extensive neglect with land to the north becoming subjected to waste land with an outbuilding looking un-secure and needing extensive repair work.

“From reviewing the existing street and the setting, the land and buildings are not in keeping with the tidy village showing well-kept property frontages.

“As part of the development, the 18 dwellings would provide additional residents to support the village and with the viability of the pub refurbishment.”