A supermarket chain will take its plans to demolish a pub to a planning inspector to ensure it gets a ‘fair hearing’.
Tout Ltd wants to replace Cleeve’s boarded-up Lord Nelson with a petrol station, store, offices and a pub/café.
The scheme has failed to win North Somerset Council’s favour despite revisions.
MORE: Tout unveils fresh plans for Lord Nelson pub.
Owner Jon Tout said: “After 14 months of negotiation and discussion it seems an appeal is the only way we are going to get a fair hearing.
“Since December 2017 we’ve responded positively to everything the council has asked for. We were told on three occasions it would go to (the planning) committee with a likely recommendation for approval but each time it was postponed.”
Mr Tout says the firm was told ‘political pressure’ was delaying a decision. So instead it will go to a planning inspector to decide, if North Somerset contests the plan.
Mr Tout added: “It’s a ridiculous and expensive outcome to what should have been a straight-forward local decision.”
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