189 Greenwich High Road, London SE10 (bar to convenience store, Appeal A)

Decision

allowed, 1 October 2026

Decided by

Planning Inspector: B Astley-Serougi

Authority

Greenwich (London)

Appeal reference

6012344

Application reference

26/0700/F

Procedure

written representations

Development

Change of use of the ground and lower ground floors from a bar (sui generis) to a convenience store (Class E(a))

Site context

inside settlement, conservation area, listed building setting, near station

Green Belt

No

Framework applied

August 2026 NPPF

Determinative policies

HC6(1)(c)

Development plan policies

London Plan 2021 HC6 (London Plan night-time economy), HC7 (London Plan public houses), Royal Greenwich Local Plan Core Strategy 2014 EA(b)

Main issues

availability of community facilities

Summary

Change of use of a closed bar next to Greenwich Station to a convenience store was allowed, in a joint letter with a linked appeal for a cafe (PINS-6012348). The inspector found the last use was a drinking establishment with expanded food provision, not a public house, so the London Plan and local pub-protection policies did not decide the case. Under Framework policy HC6(1)(c) there was sufficient alternative provision of drinking establishments in the town centre.

Issues and findings

• Transition. "The parties have been provided with the opportunity to comment on the implications of the revisions to their cases" (DL ¶3).
• Is it a public house? "on the balance of probabilities, the last use of No 189 constitutes a drinking establishment with expanded food provision" (DL ¶16). The pub policies "are not wholly determinative for this appeal given that I have found No 189 to not be a public house" (DL ¶17).
• Night-time economy (London Plan HC6): accord. "there remains limited evidence before me to adequately demonstrate that the loss of a drinking establishment in this location would result in unacceptable harm to the overall night-time economy and vitality of Greenwich’s Town Centre" (DL ¶20).
• Framework HC6(1)(c): PASS. "I am satisfied that there is sufficient alternative provision of drinking establishments in the local area, such that the loss of the drinking … establishment as part of the appeal schemes would not diminish access to key community facilities and public service infrastructure" (DL ¶25; the break is a page break).
• Heritage: no harm. "the appeal proposals would preserve the setting of both Greenwich Station and Queen Elizabeth’s Almshouses" (DL ¶28).

Planning balance

None needed. The scheme complied with London Plan Policy HC6 and Framework HC6(1)(c), and "The material considerations do not indicate that a decision should be made other than in accordance with the development plan" (DL ¶43).

What made the difference

The classification of the last use. Because the premises had traded as a bar with food rather than a public house, the stricter marketing tests in the London Plan, the local plan (two years) and Framework HC6(1)(a) (12 months) were not applied, and the plentiful supply of other drinking establishments nearby met HC6(1)(c).

Transferable points

• HC6(1)(a) to (c) are alternatives: sufficient alternative provision under (c) was enough without marketing evidence under (a) (DL ¶9–10, ¶25).
• A drinking establishment was treated as a key community facility for HC6, and the alternative-provision test was met by other drinking establishments in the same town centre (DL ¶25).
• Development plan policies that protect "public houses" do not decide a case about a bar with expanded food provision; what the last use was is a matter of judgement on the evidence (DL ¶14–17).
• New marketing evidence produced at appeal may be refused where interested parties have not seen it (DL ¶6).

Policy findings

Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.

Key facts

• Formerly the Prince of Orange public house, most recently Belushi's Bar, which closed around May 2026 (DL 8)
• London Plan HC7 (public houses) and local EA(b) (two years' marketing) apply to public houses only, so were "not wholly determinative" once the last use was found not to be a pub (DL 12, 17)
• Site in the town centre and an NT3 night-time economy area; a convenience store open to 23:00 would contribute to the night-time economy to an extent (DL 19, 22)
• Marketing and valuation evidence dated May and June 2026 was not accepted at appeal, as it was not before the Council (DL 6)
• Joint letter with Appeal B, 6012348 (bar to cafe), also allowed (DL 1-2, 5)
• Parties had the opportunity to comment on the August 2026 Framework (DL 3)

Related decisions

• PINS-6012348

Sources

• Appeal on the Planning Inspectorate appeals service
• Decision letter (Planning Inspectorate)

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