Policy WS/PH: Public houses

1. Proposals for new public houses will be determined on their individual merits, with consideration being given to the site’s existing use and planning history, community need for the public house, neighbouring planning uses and development context, and potential amenity impacts. Proposals will require detailed Patron Management Plans to be submitted to demonstrate acceptability. 

2. Proposals for public house diversification will be supported where it is demonstrated that it is complementary and subsidiary to the ongoing operation of the public house, and it will support the on-going financial viability of the public house. 

3. Proposals that would result in the loss of a public house will only be permitted where it is demonstrated that all reasonable efforts have been made to preserve or re- provide the public house, and all reasonable diversification options have been explored, and: 

  a. there is no market demand on the site for a public house, as demonstrated through an up-to-date marketing exercise for a sustained period in accordance with the guidance provided in Appendix G: Marketing, local needs assessments and viability appraisals of this

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

; and 

  b. it has been demonstrated through the submission of a Community Needs Assessment that: 

    i. in consultation with the local community and considering the availability of alternative public house provision, there is no longer a need for the public house or its curtilage; 

    ii. no recent or emerging viable proposals for community public house ownership have been identified for the site; and 

    iii. alternative viable community service* use of the public house and its curtilage have been fully explored and opportunities for such use(s) have been exhausted. 

4. The loss of any part of a public house or its curtilage will only be permitted if: 

  a. it can be demonstrated through a needs and viability assessment that the viability of the public house use will not be adversely affected. This should include consideration of cellarage, beer garden, parking, dining, kitchen and landlord accommodation spaces required for the public house to remain viable; or 

  b. re-provision is proposed on a like-for-like basis or there is an overall qualitative improvement in the facility. 

5.

This refers to development in its widest sense, including buildings, and streets, spaces and places. It also refers to both redevelopment, including refurbishment, as well as new development.

proposals affecting public houses must preserve the building’s architectural importance, ensuring that any alterations do not detract from the building’s original design, character and any historic value. 

* For the application of this policy, community services are community or village shops that have a floorspace of less than 280 square metres and there is no other such facility within 1000 metre radius of the shop’s location, public houses, post offices, community centres, village halls, public libraries or public reading rooms, and museums and village archives which could be considered jointly or severally.

Public houses are an important part of

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

’s communities. They help to foster social interaction and local community life in both urban and rural areas. Public houses also play an important role in the

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

economy, not just for the direct and indirect jobs they provide in the food and brewing industries, but in supporting an area’s visitor economy and by providing meeting places. Therefore, public houses help to sustain vibrancy, economic health and wellbeing within

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

. 

Diversification proposals should complement the operations of the public house, and the Local Planning Authority will expect applicants to demonstrate that a diversification proposal will support the financial viability of a public house through the submission of a Business Case. 

The loss of a public house can have a significant effect on a local community, and the character and function of an area. Therefore, before conversion or redevelopment of a public house is considered, applicants should explore all reasonable options to preserve the public house. This includes considering reasonable diversification options, such as the provision of accommodation or other ancillary functions to assist with the upkeep of the public house. Applicants should provide evidence that the public house has been marketed as a public house for a continuous period accordance with the guidance provided in Appendix G: Marketing, local needs assessments and viability appraisals, free of tie and at a market price that reflects an independent professional valuation (paid for by the developer). Proposals will only be supported where there has been no interest in either the freehold or the leasehold for the site’s use as a public house.

In addition, the Local Planning Authorities will expect applicants to demonstrate that there is no community need for the public house through the submission of a Community Needs Assessment. Demonstration of community needs should be achieved in consultation with the local community and should include an analysis of service provision in the locality, which demonstrates that accessibility to similar services and facilities will not be adversely affected by the proposal. Whether suitable alternative public house services are available in the locality will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Public houses can be designated as assets of community value (ACVs) through the Community Right to Bid, Localism Act 2011, which grants communities the opportunity to raise finances when assets are put up for sale and bid for them. Designation as an ACV is a material planning consideration, and the Local Planning Authorities will factor any identified viable proposals for the site to be used as a public house in community ownership as part of the decision-making process for proposals that would result in the loss of a public house. 

For proposals that seek to convert or redevelop public houses to non-community services, the Local Planning Authorities will expect planning applications to include an assessment that demonstrates the site is not viable for use as a community service. This should be an independent professional assessment (funded by the developer) prepared in accordance with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ (RICS) professional standards on Financial Viability in Planning: Conduct and Reporting (or successor standards). The professional assessor must have a relevant accreditation from the RICS with expertise in the licensed leisure sector, and they must also not be engaged to market the property. 

It is important that the character and function of public houses are not lost due to deliberate neglect or maladaptation, in particular those of heritage value. When considering proposals for the development of part of a public house, its car parking areas, dining areas, cellarage or pub gardens, the Council will require supporting evidence explaining how the development proposal will support and not undermine the viability of the pub. Equally, many public houses are locally important buildings that have architectural features and historic qualities that should be retained.

The combined areas of Cambridge District and South Cambridgeshire District Councils.

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

: Topic Paper: Wellbeing and Social Inclusion (2025)

We will consider all comments while developing the next version of the

A plan for the future development of a local area, drawn up by the local planning authority in consultation with the community. In law this is described as the development plan documents adopted under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004. A local plan can consist of either strategic or non-strategic policies, or a combination of the two.

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All comments must be received by 30 January 2026 at 5pm.