Councillors are backing the determined campaign to save a popular Ellesmere Port pub.
Fears were raised that the much loved Grace Arms on Stanney Lane appeared set to follow others in the town in closing its doors when Birkenhead-based Magenta Living announced plans for up to 42 apartments for affordable rent ‘on land at Stanney Lane’.
Magenta has teamed up with north Cheshire based Lane End Developments which specialises in new build for registered housing providers. The application, in two blocks on the land occupied by The Grace, is now with borough planners.
A letter to Stanney Lane residents inviting them to a consultation sparked a flurry of posts on Ellesmere Port’s Pride in the Port website about the possible loss of the Greene King-owned pub.
The prospect has led to objections and to the creation of a ‘Save the Grace Arms’ Facebook campaign which quickly attracted more than 650 ‘likes’.
After pleas from campaigners planners have now had 130 objections of which 125 oppose the loss of The Grace and two support the proposals.
Ellesmere Port Town ward councillor Jess Crook (Lab) and Whitby ward councillor Karen Shore (Lab) have also asked for the application to be called in to the council’s planning committee citing policy reasons why the development should not go ahead.
The Port's The Place
“I believe this pub is essential to the gateway to Ellesmere Port and the hugely supported petition ‘Save the Grace Arms’ indicated that my residents have an overwhelming desire to maintain the Grace Arms in its current position,” Cllr Crook added.
Agents argue the three storey blocks will raise the architectural quality of the area and offer a choice in housing.
The 18 one bed and 24 two bed apartments will create ‘high quality housing’ which will provide ‘much needed’ new homes allowing local people to remain living and working in their own neighbourhood they have told the council.
They argue that part of the town has been ‘relatively unchanged’ since it was first built and their proposal will help to deliver new residential development in the area.
Representations have included lengthy objections including recent concerns submitted by Nigel Baines, currently living near York in the RAF and planning to return to the Port next year on retirement.
Objecting for a number of reasons which he describes as ‘the general feeling of most of my friends and acquaintances’, Mr Baines explains: “The Grace has been instrumental in my early years as both my mother (bar maid) and myself (chef) worked at the Grace for years in the late 70s.
Ellesmere Port at Christmas
“Since 1980 I have served in the RAF and have lived away only using the Grace when visiting. However, I was planning on returning to the Port next year on retirement. The Grace would have again been part of my life as old friends still drink and socialise there.
“To lose such a prominent landmark will be such a shame for the local community and I hope those who think that building more homes in place of the Grace are able to reconsider their intentions.”
Earlier Magenta’s community regeneration chief Jamie Martin said: “If the acquisition and construction proceeds this project will bring Magenta Living’s investment in affordable homes in Ellesmere Port to nearly £20m since 2014.”
