Homes could be built on pub site - but it won’t be closing

Punch Partnerships Ltd, which owns the Gordon in Thorpe St Andrew, has applied to Broadland Council for permission to build the pair of homes on part of the pub car park.

The new homes would be within a 50 metre radius of the Gordon Avenue pub itself, but would not, however, result in closure of the venue, which would continue to operate as normal.

Should the plans get the go ahead, it would see two three-bedroom homes build on the eastern part of the car park, with each property being allocated two parking spaces of their own.

As a result, the pub would see its own parking provision scaled back to 16 spaces, but otherwise continue to function as normal.

Papers submitted with the application also indicate it would continue to operate with a beer garden and outdoor seating, with the new homes making us of an “underused” area of land to the side and rear of the building.

The pub, which has been licensed since 1934, was placed up for sale by Punch in 2011 and did briefly close down, but has been fully operational since 2014.

In a letter submitted with the application, the pub’s landlady said she did not feel that the loss of space would be fundamental to the business.”

She wrote: “Part of the beer garden and car park will be attributed to this development and the proposal will result in a small loss of parking and garden space; we do not envisage that the development will detract from the pub operation.”

Andy Spencer, managing director of Punch Pubs, said: ““We have submitted a planning application to develop the land next to The Gordon pub in Norwich. If successful, as part of the development we will be completing a substantial investment to transform the outdoor area and create a new courtyard suitable for guests to enjoy all year round.

“The Gordon is a fantastic pub and we are looking forward to working with our publicans to ensure the pub continues to operate at the very heart of the community for many years to come.”