Heron Foods and flats planned for crime-ridden former Doncaster pub

Applicant Nigel Griffiths from Ground Group Ltd, has applied for a change of use order from a public house to retail use and flats at the former Cantley Lodge pub on Acacia Road.

The proposed main tenant taking on the ground floor convenience store is expected to be discount food retailer Heron Foods. There are also two other retail spaces planned for the rest of the ground floor.

The plan also includes hardstanding for car parking to front and associated alterations to the site.

The upper levels of the former pub will consist of three, one-bedroom flats.

A similar application was already given the green light back in January but the plans for the site have since changed.

Planning officers on DMBC said the previous plans had potential to bring a vacant building back into use and ‘restore economic activity’ at the site which ‘outweigh the loss of a community facility’ which is currently unused.

The plans had the backing of ward councillors in the area. Councillor Nick Allen said he supported the application adding that Cantley would benefit from a retail store.

“I completely support this proposal for a change of use,” he said.

“To reiterate, some of the anti-social problems that have taken place in Cantley with this pub over the recent time have been a real nightmare for people.”

The former pub has consistently hit the headlines for the wrong reasons over the past couple of years.

Back in 2017, three people were injured in a drive-by shooting. South Yorkshire Police said the incident was a ‘targeted attack’.

The force also sent its support to the council in the proposed development and said officers attended the pub on a number of occasions, including for ‘offences of violence towards staff and between customers’.

It added that cooperation from staff towards the attending officers ‘was lacking on most occasions’ and the incidents of crime and disorder were a factor in its closing.

The plans could be brought to a future planning committee due to previous public interest in the site.

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