Harold Wood residents have raised concerns about a proposal to demolish a pub and replace it with homes.
Submitted by Dyer Developments, the application requests permission to knock down the King Harold pub in Station Road and construct 25 homes and a café or pub in its place.
Ben Dyer, of Dyer Developments, said the plan, if approved, will “provide a positive legacy at this site contributing positively to the street scene, with a modern, highly-sustainable design".
He adds: "The ground floor will be larger than the existing pub floorspace and will be a community use area with an early morning café, mother and baby café and eatery in the evening".
However, several locals have spoken of their reservations at the idea of the pub being knocked down.
Steven Ault, a 30-year-old insurance broker, said he “doesn’t think it’s a good idea".
“The area needs a pub and definitely doesn’t need any more people," he said. "The traffic in the morning is horrendous already and adding to that won’t help.”
Amy Waltz, who has lived in Harold Wood for three years, echoed Steven’s concerns about the community lacking a pub if the King Harold was to go.
She also believes an increase in homes would have a detrimental effect on infrastructure in the area.
“Train stations will get crowded, the GPs are already up to their brim and dentists are no longer accepting any new patients," she said. "New homes will make everything worse.”
Ann Tolaini suggests a new brewery or restaurant group take it over, remodel it and relaunch it.
She said: “Harold Wood high street has a lovely community feel, and another place to eat, offering different food from the great Turkish next door, would enhance the area.
“Alternatively, turn the pub over to the community as happens in other areas such as Brighton.”
The pub is the site where a seven-year-old boy called Harvey Tyrrell tragically died in 2018 while sitting on a defective garden light.
View the application using the reference P0282.22.
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