The latest plan to build housing behind one of Greenwich’s best-loved pubs has been thrown out by council officers.
A developer, Hamna Wakaf Ltd, wanted permission to build a three-storey property on land between the beer garden of The Vanbrugh pub and Vanbrugh Hill.
Developers have made several attempts to build on the land since the 1970s, and in August 2018, a planning inspector rejected an appeal against Greenwich Council’s refusal of a similar scheme for the site.
The new application received 379 objections, and council officers rejected the scheme without it going to councillors to decide.
“The proposed development due to its design and appearance would constitute an incongruous development, which fails to respect the established character and appearance of the area to its detriment,” officers wrote in their report.
Officers added that the proximity of the beer garden would result in “a poor living environment due to noise pollution and general disturbance”, and there was also an “insufficient level of private amenity space”.
However, the planning report noted that it could still be possible for a developer to build on the land as the last time Greenwich Council refused a scheme for the site, it was “not refused on the grounds that the reduction in size of the beer garden would harm the viability of the public house to operate successfully”.
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