06/02/13 Swan Inn development - Burton Bridge, BurtonPlans to turn Swan Inn into flats have been approved.FRESH life is to breathed into the site of a once-popular Burton pub after plans to create living space were given the go-ahead.
Proposals to build nine apartments and four homes on the site of the Swan Inn, on Burton Bridge, have been approved by planners, marking the start of a new chapter for a venue which closed in 2007.
One-bedroom apartments and a terrace of three homes and one detached property will replace the former watering hole, which has fallen into disrepair since closing its doors.
Developers say the plans, which were first announced last year, will ‘revitalise a former Burton landmark’, with the announcement bringing an end to the uncertainty which has surrounded the venue in the six years since its closure.
An application to convert the building into office space was submitted in 2008, but was rejected.
With the pub remaining dormant ever since, it has become a hotspot for vandalism and theft, with windows being broken and wiring stripped, while squatters have also used it.
Rather than being demolished, the original building is set to be converted into apartments, with the homes to be built next to the site. Its 17 parking spaces will be retained.
A spokesman for Urban Designs, acting as an agent on behalf of the applicant, said: “We believe the redevelopment of the site will be of benefit to the local community.
“The building has deteriorated significantly since closure and needs a large amount of capital expenditure to return it to use. This will only be viable with the redevelopment of the building, along with a small-scale development within the curtilage.
“The building, which forms a prominent focal point in the town, has deteriorated and become an unsightly and unwelcoming to visitors of Burton. Returning the building to use will secure its future and give an opportunity to revitalise an important landmark.”
