Heysham car sales boss "massively disappointed" after losing appeal over ex-pub land

A car dealership boss has spoken out after a government planning inspector dismissed his appeal over the use of land at a former pub in Heysham.

David Standen, of Central Car and Van Sales on Heysham Road, made the appeal after Lancaster City Council refused him planning permission in April.

Mr Standen had retrospectively applied for part of the car park and bowling green at the former Cumberland View pub to be used for car sales, and for the laying of hard surface on the bowling green and an extension to the existing outbuilding for use as a sales office and valeting.

Planning inspector N Teasdale, in a report published this week, said there were benefits to the scheme including "employment, supporting a local growing business, reusing and renovating an existing fire damaged building and bringing the site back into use".

But the report also said "the location of the site is not suitable for the development having regard to the development plan policies governing such proposals".

It also said the "unjustified loss of open space results in harm to the health and well-being of the community" and "the development is unacceptable in relation to flood risk".

The inspector said the harms of the scheme outweighed the benefits, and dismissed the appeal.

Central Car and Van Sales bought the site in 2025 after the closure of the pub, then moved their dealership onto the land.

Mr Standen said: "I'm massively disappointed by the decision and really gutted.

"I don't know what they want me to do, put it back the way it was? When I took the site over (the bowling green) was overgrown, it wasn't a working bowling green, and (the outbuilding) was a burned-out building.

"I'm going to have a meeting with (the council) and ask what they expect me to do.

"I honestly thought I was making the area better. The last thing I want to do is ruin the area.

"If I have to move my cars, I will, but they are going to shut a business down. I don't know where else to go from here.

"I will fight it all the way."

The inspector's report said that during a site visit in September 2026 "the hard surfacing to the bowling green has already occurred" and "the extension to the outbuilding at the rear of the existing hotel also appeared largely complete".

Mr Standen, speaking to councillors at the planning meeting in April, apologised for starting work "before realising planning permission was required" and said this was a "genuine misunderstanding".

The inspector's report said: "I understand that the appellant (Mr Standen) operates a large commercial workshop where servicing, repair, valeting and MOTs of vehicles are undertaken, adjoining his former sales site on the White Lund Trading Estate (White Lund).

"That site is an established employment area. The business has however outgrown its existing site whilst also experiencing security issues on part of the site and lease renewal uncertainty for the car lot element.

"The appellant has therefore sought to use the appeal site for some of its operations. Cars for sale are serviced, repaired or valeted as necessary at White Lund before being made available for sale at the appeal site.

"The site at White Lund is also used in connection with any issues that may arise post sales.

"A site as close as possible to the workshop was therefore considered essential in order to minimise journeys, fuel use, staff time, costs and emissions.

"Four alternative sites were considered at White Lund, but these were deemed unsuitable or not viable.

"Two of the sites were not available for sale and one was not suitable/too expensive.

"The final site was considered suitable, but the appellant was not successful with their bid.

"The appellant explains that there were no other suitable sites available at White Lund or the adjoining Vickers Industrial Estate.

"There is however very little evidence to demonstrate this ie by using platforms such as Rightmove/other commercial platforms, and I note that the council has viewed such property platforms where they explain that other sites are available to rent at White Lund, but these have not been included.

"I do not dispute that a relationship exists between the appeal site and the operations at White Lund, but they are physically separated from one another by approximately 2.8km in distance (as the crow flies).

"On this basis, I am not sufficiently convinced that other allocated sites should be discounted other than the preference of the appellant to be close to the White Lund business for logistical and practical reasons.

"No further consideration appears to have been given to any of the other allocated sites across the district.

"Alternative employment allocated sites were deemed too great of a distance for the appellant."

At the council planning meeting in April, residents objected to the use of the former bowling green at the pub.

A letter from the former Cumberland View bowling club, read out at the meeting, said they'd "repeatedly asked" for a new lease and the decision to end the lease "had not left us time to secure another bowling green".

But Mr Standen said, at the April meeting, that there was less demand for bowls in the area, and his colleague Darren Lewis also said "the bowling green was unused since 2022 and the area had become an eyesore".

The inspector's report said: "I understand that the bowling green and club house has ceased to operate and has not been in use for several years.

"Even so, it is still classed as existing open space particularly as it retains its designation within the adopted Local Plan.

"It does not lose its designation simply because it has sat vacant for some time.

"Whilst the lease was not renewed following acquisition of the site, this was a commercial decision by the landowner and does not in itself demonstrate that the open space is surplus to requirements.

"To this end, the evidence before me sets out that the club did not dissolve voluntarily and that it was a valued local facility.

"There were active members of the bowling green who wished to continue using the facility at the point of closure and actively sought to save the facility.

"This demonstrates demand for the use as well as economic, social and environmental value.

"The appellant explains that the bowling green was dependent on the public house that has closed, but it has not been explored whether the bowling green could be separated from the public house and whether there is any demand separate from the public house.

"I appreciate that the site in recent years became overgrown and was subject to antisocial behaviour. Again, this does not demonstrate that it is surplus to requirements as I find this to be more of a maintenance issue."

The report also addressed flood risk in the area.

"The appeal site is located within flood zone 2 and is also susceptible to a high risk of surface water flooding," it said.

"I appreciate the appellant’s claims regarding investments in flood protection and that there has been no evidence of flooding at the appeal site. (But) I cannot be satisfied that the development is unable to be located in an area at a lower risk of flooding."

In conclusion, the inspector's report said: "I have taken into account the level of support received for the scheme, but this does not mean that the development is not harmful. Other matters not in dispute do not weigh in favour of the scheme but are neutral factors in my overall decision.

"It is explained that in the absence of the current proposals, it is likely that the site would have remained vacant and continued to deteriorate, contributing little to the economy and potentially encouraged further anti-social behaviour. While noted, such matters would not justify the scheme nor overcome its conflict with policy. Further, I am not persuaded that maintenance issues and antisocial behaviour cannot be controlled by other means."

The report also acknowledged that a separate planning application has gone in to convert the former Cumberland View pub itself into holiday apartments.

The application, also by Mr Standen, is for five short-stay visitor apartments on the ground floor, and eight short-stay letting rooms in a shared 'hostel-style' format on the first floor. The council is expected to make a decision on this in due course.

"I understand that the council are minded to support the application subject to the provision of a more robust Flood Risk Assessment which is underway," said the planning inspector's report.

"Whilst this may demonstrate that the public house is not viable with no prospect of reopening, I do not find this to have a bearing on the scheme I am considering when taking into account my findings."

In conclusion, the inspector said: "The location of the site is not suitable for the development having regard to the development plan policies governing such proposals.

"The unjustified loss of open space results in harm to the health and well-being of the community, and the development is unacceptable in relation to flood risk.

"I accept that there are benefits associated with the scheme including employment, supporting a local growing business, reusing and renovating an existing fire damaged building and bringing the site back into use.

"I also note the claims regarding tidying up the site and use of previously developed land.

"Whilst the benefits of the proposal attract substantial weight, the magnitude of those benefits taking into account the nature and scale of the development are not sufficient to outweigh the identified harm."

Read more: Holiday apartments plan for former Heysham pub - Beyond Radio

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Car dealership reveals plans for site of former Heysham pub - Beyond Radio