Work starts on site of demolished pub

Planning for flats had been passed prior to the site being sold by estate agents, Halls. It was listed for offers around £350,000.

The Haygate pub on Haygate Road in Wellington was demolished without planning in 2019, about a year after closing.

The development on Haygate Road will consist of a three-storey block of one and two-bedroom flats on the brownfield land where the well-known local landmark once stood.

This month, the diggers were spotted rolling into the site, and starting work on footings, after a sold sign was added to the estate agents board.

The plans to build the eighteen apartments on the site of the former Haygate Pub in Wellington were approved in 2022, despite a series of concerns from local representatives.

There were questions regarding the loss of two immature ash trees and the fact that the original pub building had been demolished without permission.

Concerns were also voiced about the lack of affordable housing within the development and whether emergency vehicles or bin wagons would be able to easily access the site through the planned entrance tunnel.

Planning officers told the committee that the parking provision was the maximum possible for the site and that an independent assessment had confirmed the viability of the project.

While some councillors remained worried about the impact on the local street scene, the majority voted to grant permission subject to over £70,000 being paid towards local education and sports facilities.