It would be a conversion of the main pub building, along with a three-storey flat block at the rear
There are plans to build 15 flats at a former pub in a village near Tunbridge Wells. The application for The George and Dragon in Lamberhurst has been submitted to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.
It has two elements: to convert the main building from a pub, guest rooms above, and one flat, into six flats; and, to demolish the two-storey manager’s flat building and build a three-storey block of nine flats.
The pub on School Hill beside the River Teise and the B2162 bridge, closed in 2024. The site falls in Lamberhurst Conservation Area and used to be a coaching inn.
There are still rooms on the first floor where until recently, guests could book and stay, said GTA chartered surveyors for the applicant, Mark Hurren from Stockport in Cheshire.
Mapping from the 19th century shows there was a building at the rear, which was most likely stables for the horses pulling the coaches to rest overnight. The new homes would have 15 off-street parking spaces, one for each flat, which will be one and two-bedrooms.
Lamberhurst, which is around eight miles from Tunbridge Wells, has a mix of gorgeous architecture, from Sussex tiled, to Tudor and all-white weather-boarded. It’s a short drive or cycle to Frant Railway Station, which is actually in Bells Yew Green, and is the previous stop to Tunbridge Wells on the Hastings to London line.
In the planning papers, GTA says this about the tough time people had trading at the George and Dragon: “The pub and restaurant businesses that have been on site have not been profitable and several tenants managing the operations have gone bankrupt/not been able to turn a profit, despite rent holidays and reductions by the landlord.”
“Being unviable as a commercial premises, the owner is looking to change the use of the site to residential. The building itself is not listed however, being within a prominent street front location within the Lamberhurst conservation area and community, its heritage value is highly appreciated. Rather than complete demolition, conservation and restoration of the original George and Dragon building has been a key consideration to this proposal.”
‘Only concern is about parking’
There was only one comment from a villager at the time of writing, which said: “It is my opinion most Lamberhurst residents will be pleased with the proposals to regenerate the George & Dragon site, my only concern is insufficient parking, which will result in more parking on the Broadway which is at capacity most days as it is!”
GTA said the proposed block of nine flats would “subsidise” the site. It said relatively recent rear extensions to the pub were “considered lower quality”, and were mostly single storey, flat roof, which “do not fit in with the locality”. Interconnecting these is a two storey section with a pitched roof. Removing all these extensions returns the George and Dragon to its original form, said GTA.
Talking of flood risk, in one part of the 17-page design and heritage statement, GTA said: “There are constraints to the site in terms of official flood risk and flood zones. Whilst the risk on paper is present, mitigation factors have been employed for the scheme reducing the risks in real terms. Professional flood risk assessments and exercises have been undertaken to mitigate such risks.”
The new block of flats would be in contrast to the George and Dragon Pub building, which features brick and exposed timbers, and is painted white. The new flats would have weatherboarding to the upper elevation, and facing brick to the lower half.
“Windows will be modern, but with heritage features such as false diamond leaded muntin, found on surrounding buildings in the area. The roof to the property will consist of a hipped shape with dormer windows positioned to the front. Heritage Velux windows will be utilised to the rear,” said GTA.
On affordable housing, GTA says in one part: “The proposed flats are expected to meet local affordability thresholds and serve eligible households with modest incomes and strong local ties.”
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