- Decision
- allowed, 1 October 2026
- Decided by
- Planning Inspector: B Astley-Serougi
- Authority
- Greenwich (London)
- Appeal reference
- 6012348
- Application reference
- 26/0699/F
- Procedure
- written representations
- Development
- Change of use of the ground and lower ground floors from a bar (sui generis) to a cafe (Class E(b))
- 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
Appeal B of a joint letter: change of use of a closed bar next to Greenwich Station to a cafe, allowed alongside Appeal A for a convenience store (PINS-6012344, which has the fuller analysis). The reasoning is common to both: the last use was not a public house, and Framework policy HC6(1)(c) was met by other drinking establishments in the town centre.
Issues and findings
- Transition. "I have taken account of the revised Framework, and any comments made, in my determination of both appeal ‘A’ and appeal ‘B’" (DL ¶3).
- Night-time economy. "the proposed use of No 189 as a café would help diversify the range of night-time activities" (DL ¶23).
- Framework HC6(1)(c): PASS. "Accordingly, the appeal schemes would accord with Policy HC6(1)(C) of the Framework" (DL ¶25).
- Conclusion on the main issue. "the appeal schemes in both appeal ‘A’ and appeal ‘B’ would not result in the loss of a pub and nor would it unacceptably harm the night-time economy of Greenwich Town Centre" (DL ¶26).
What made the difference
As for Appeal A: the classification of the last use as a bar with food rather than a public house, and the number of other drinking establishments nearby. For the cafe, the London Plan's support for extending the hours of daytime uses added to the case.
Transferable points
- A cafe replacing a bar can be treated as diversifying night-time activity under the London Plan (DL ¶21, ¶23).
- A condition on extraction equipment can be limited to new or materially altered equipment where the existing use raised no amenity concern (DL ¶41).
Policy findings
Policy codes are those of the National Planning Policy Framework (August 2026) unless a development plan is named.
| Policy | Finding | Weight | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| HC6(1)(c) | pass | sufficient alternative provision of drinking establishments in the town centre; same finding for both appeals; letter says "HC6(1)(C)" (DL 25) | |
| HE6 | neutral | listed building settings, the West Greenwich CA and the World Heritage Site buffer zone unharmed (HE5, HE6 and HE8 cited) (DL 28-30) | |
| DM6 | pass | extraction condition reworded to bite only if new or altered equipment is proposed; cycle parking condition not shown to be necessary (DL 33, 41-42) |
Key facts
- Cafe hours 06:30 to 20:00; London Plan HC6(B)(3) supports diversifying night-time activities, including extended hours for cafes (DL 21, 23; Appeal B condition 3)
- Last use found to be a drinking establishment with expanded food provision, not a public house (DL 16)
- Joint letter with Appeal A, 6012344 (bar to convenience store), also allowed; each appeal considered on its own merits (DL 1-2, 5)
- Parties had the opportunity to comment on the August 2026 Framework (DL 3)
Related decisions
Sources
This note is one of the decisions behind the NPPF 2026 Navigator, which shows how each Framework test has been applied across all the decisions in the database. Also available as Markdown.