No permission for pub change

Lancaster City Council has now issued an enforcement notice to Zubeir Mister, the owner of the former Moorlands Hotel in Quarry Road, who does not have planning permission for the conversion. The students living there will now be forced to find alternative accommodation.

A report to the city council’s planning and highways committee on Monday January 9, stated that the developer’s actions “have raised concern amongst the local community and ward councillors”, and that “officers have tried to be reasonable and reach a solution which would allow an appropriate level of student accommodation within the building”.

Work on the former Mitchells of Lancaster pub started in 2014, when it received planning permission with conditions not to create rooms on the second floor.

Shortly after permission was granted, the agent for Mister Capitol Holdings submitted a handwritten note withdrawing the planning application, but the conversion of the building continued.

Part of the building is now in active use as student flats, and the city council says this use remains unlawful.

The council has issued previous Enforcement Notices, the latest of which was appealed by the developer and quashed by the Planning Inspector.

A separate Enforcement Notice dated October 25 2016 requires the removal of the building’s temporary staircase and all screen fencing.