CAMRA recognizes the vital role that pubs play in their local community. Often the hub of many areas providing a public place where people can meet, socialize, and drink responsibly. They also act as a focus for family events, sporting activity and charity work.
Pubs are being lost at an alarming rate and a key CAMRA campaign is to Save Your Local. The Trafford & Hulme Branch of CAMRA is very active in this campaign and our approach is set out below.
Please remember however, that the most effective way you can support your local is to use it on a regular basis!
PUB PROTECTION SUCCESS – ASSETS OF COMMUNITY VALUE
Good news!! Following extensive campaigning from CAMRA, all pubs in England became fully protected in planning law in July 2017.
This means that any change of use of a pub, or its demolition, will need planning permission. Prior to this, the only way to secure full protection under planning law was to nominate a pub as an asset of community value (ACV). Nationally, CAMRA supported the listing of over 2,000 pubs as ACV’s and the Trafford & Hulme Branch was successful with a number of nominations, namely:
The Salisbury Ale House in the city centre
The Beech and Bowling Green in Chorlton
The Old Market Tavern in Altrincham
The Vine in Sale
The Branch also supported a local community group in the successful nomination of the Bay Malton in Altrincham and a decision on a nomination for the Carter’s Arms in Sale Moor is still outstanding with Trafford Council.
As a result of this change in the planning law, the way in which CAMRA now supports nominations for assets of community value (ACV) has changed. An ACV nomination may still be relevant where a community group is looking to take on and run a pub that is vulnerable to change of use or demolition. In these cases, the Branch will still be happy to lend its help and support. Please contact Tim Field, Public Affairs Officer, T&H CAMRA at
INFLUENCING PLANNING POLICY
Trafford & Hulme CAMRA’s efforts will now be focused on ensuring that Trafford and Manchester councils have relevant local planning policies that reflect the role that pubs play in local communities. This will enable them to fairly consider any planning applications that may now be received for the change of use or demolition of a pub.
Altrincham Town Centre Neighbourhood Business Plan
As a first step towards this, Trafford & Hulme CAMRA has successfully argued for the inclusion of a policy in the new Altrincham Town Centre Neighbourhood Business Plan which will see more effective protection for community facilities in the town centre, including pubs. The plan is coming to the final stages of approval and will be the subject of a local referendum on 19th October 2017.
Greater Manchester Spatial Framework
It has also made representation to the consultation draft of the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework arguing for stronger policies to protect community facilities, including pubs. The final plan will be produced in 2018 and this will guide the production of new local plans covering the whole of Trafford and Manchester. Initial discussions have already been held with planners from these districts and will be followed up during local plan preparation, likely in 2018/19.
Influencing your Politicians
Trafford & Hulme CAMRA is active in lobbying local MP’s and Councillors in relation to CAMRA’s various campaigns. Recently, Councillor Mike Freeman (Trafford) and Councillor John Hacking (Manchester) have both agreed to informally act as ‘Pub Champions’ for their respective authorities and this gives the Branch a vital, friendly first point of contact when trying to engage local Councils in matters relevant to saving your local.
For further information on any of the above matters, please contact Tim Field, Public Affairs Officer, Trafford & Hulme CAMRA