Cherry Tree pub planning application to create "bunk house hostel"

[urbanfox]

Only just found out about this...

From the southwark planning portal:

17/AP/4421 | Change of use of the upper floors of The Cherry Tree Public House from ancillary staff accommodation (Class A4 Use) to create an up market bunk house hostel (Sui Generis) | 31-33 GROVE VALE, LONDON, SE22 8EQ

http://planbuild.southwark.gov.uk:8190/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_STHWR_DCAPR_9575882

The Cherry Tree has submitted a planning application to transform their staff accommodation to "bunk house hostel"

It will create 47 bed spaces across 5 bedrooms on the first and second floors.

Application Received Date Thu 23 Nov 2017

Application Validated Date Fri 24 Nov 2017

Expiry Date Fri 19 Jan 2018

Actual Committee Date Not Available

Standard Consultation Expiry Date Thu 28 Dec 2017

Decision Made Date Not Available

Decision Issued Date Not Available

[intexasatthe moment]

Interesting ,could well work .Though 47 seems a bit excessive .

Wonder if fewer dorm beds and some ensuite single rooms might cater for people working in London during the week .

[jimbo1964]

Good idea.

[TheCat]

'up-market..hostel'....slight oxymoron....

[goldilocks]

I think that a reasonable 'B&B' option could work well - single rooms, maybe a couple of family rooms might cater well to extended family visits in the area. If the pricing was slightly cheaper than the Bellenden Road or village options that could also work in their favour.

However a bunk room with multiple people sleeping in the same room will only really appeal to stag and hen type dos and large group nights out. On the one hand I can see why the Cherry Tree might want a constant stream of punters to be supplied by this option, but its not really a good fit and I'd worry about the noise levels.

Separately - I can see that they were thinking that they are near the station and should capitalise on that - but with trains stopping around midnight and no night service on the Peckham Rye branch of the Overground, its hardly a convenient location for central London nights out.

[Socrates31]

The pub already causes noise and disturbance to its neighbours, surely this will only make the problem worse?

I agree with the above comments that a b& b type scenario would be more appropriate and neighborhood friendly.

Can people please make sure to comment on the application via the link on the op's original post?

[Abe_froeman]

Is a hostel like this not usually aimed at backpackers / tourists on low budgets. Maybe school trips too.

[peterstorm1985]

Abe_froeman Wrote:

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> Is a hostel like this not usually aimed at

> backpackers / tourists on low budgets. Maybe

> school trips too.

My thoughts exactly. But where would these backpackers/school trips be going? Seems all very odd. Other than possible stag/hen dos (but is East Dulwich really a desired location for them?) I can't see who it would be for. Is there any chance this is just a planning application designed to make all following applications (after it's rejected) look appealing?

[TheCat]

I might start touting out the front of the Cherry Tree, telling the backpackers that for a tenner I can get them free entry into the EDT and a half-pint of cider....they wont find a better deal than that on East Dulwich Island...

[rendelharris]

Socrates31 Wrote:

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> The pub already causes noise and disturbance to

> its neighbours, surely this will only make the

> problem worse?

I agree that a forty-seven bunk hostel would quite possibly cause problems, but what problems does the Cherry Tree cause in terms of noise and disturbance at present? I go in there regularly and am always impressed by how orderly it is, and they're rigorous about closing the garden at ten. Admittedly I'm not often in there at closing time but I often go past late at night and don't see any trouble. Is it really causing noise and disturbance beyond levels reasonably associated with the simple fact of having a pub?

[Socrates31]

Hi Rendelharris,

Unfortunately the neighbours of the pub have had some noise issues which fit the criteria for 'statutory nuisance'.

I will also say that when there have been issues the management have been apologetic, but it has been an ongoing issue.

As there is a tendency on this forum for some rather over heated debates discussing pubs and noise, I am not going to go into fine grain criticism and detail here and reignite this well worn issue as it's off topic for this post.

I think overall, turning the space into a BNB is a great idea - as far as I can think there isn't one close by? I don't see a hostel for back packers quit fitting into ED??

[alice]

Would it suit homeless single persons

[Earl Aelfheah]

I can't imagine backpackers wanting to stay in ED. There's no transport and it's largely a suburban, family area.

[Abe_froeman]

It's only 15 minutes into central London though. If you were staying a week to do some sightseeing and it was ?20 a night to stay in a dorm it might be quite appealing...

[goldilocks]

For the avoidance of doubt I've copied details of the proposal from the covering letter to the application. This is a hostel in the sense of backpacker / group trips, and not intended to house the homeless. There will be large dorm rooms with up to 12 beds in each (assume this is what 'bunks' means in this context and not 'bunk beds' which would give a much larger no of beds) and then communal shower and kitchen areas:

Edited to note: From looking at the plans, it appears the proposal is for triple bunk beds too - really think it quashes any idea of them looking for the mon- fri working week market!

"It will create 47 bed spaces across 5 bedrooms on the first and second floors. The

proposal seeks to retain the Public House building in its entirety, and involves the conversion of the upper floors only and requires no external alterations.

The development seeks to provide an up market hostel type accommodation instead of the

traditional hotel/B&B. Each room will have a number of individual bunk beds to create dormitories and there will be shared facilities including kitchen areas and showers and WCs. This type of

accommodation is popular in many urban areas where visitors may come for shorter periods and is particularly linked to pubs, with numerous examples in and around London. This type of

accommodation will appeal to a wide range of visitors who are seeking high end, though affordable accommodation in highly sustainable locations with good public transport links to Central London.

The first floor will provide 3 bedrooms comprising of 1 x 9 bunk bed and 2 x 12 bunk beds as well as 6 x shower rooms and 5 x WCs. There will also be a communal kitchen/living room.

The second floor provides 2 bedrooms comprising 1 x 8 bunk beds and 1 x 6 bunk beds and also 2 x shower room and 3 x WCs. As like the first floor there will also be a communal kitchen/living room."

[intexasatthe moment]

No suggestion that the application was for homeless housing or Mon - Friday workers .

Just musing that it might be a good idea if it were .

[Socrates31]

Has anyone else tried to make a comment on the application link?

On the application description it says that all comments will be made available immediately online, however myself and a few others have made comments yet they are not available to view..?

[planbuild.southwark.gov.uk:8190]

Any idea of why there is no transparency?

[goldilocks]

Elsewhere on the planning site it says that comments submitted will be displayed with a delay of approx. one day to allow the council time to redact personal info etc so perhaps check later / tomorrow

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/planning-and-building-control/planning-applications/comment-on-planning-applications

[Socrates31]

Thanks Goldilocks!

[Abe_froeman]

Having a few tourists stay over in ED would probably be very good for local businesses overall to the benefit of all residents. And I guess the pub might need to use the space better to ensure the whole building is economically viable.

[mikeb]

47 beds across 5 bedrooms must be quite a sight! 8 toilets between 47 people may cause some queues in the morning ...

[Angelina]

There was a similar set up on North Cross Road, which was a hostel but taken up by low paid workers for ?100 a week.

Not really any 'real' backpackers.....

[BrandNewGuy]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

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> No suggestion that the application was for

> homeless housing or Mon - Friday workers .

>

> Just musing that it might be a good idea if it

> were .

There's maybe no reason, depending on price, why a Mon-Fri worker couldn't negotiate a long-term deal. I know several companies who have Travelodge deals for Mon-Fri staff.

The hostel model is a very attractive one for large pubs ? no noise complaints from their residents and the likelihood they'll spend money at the bar. The Hootananny in Brixton and the Dover Castle on Great Dover Street are good examples, but perhaps they're a bit 'downmarket' for the Cherry Tree.

[jimlad48]

On the toastrack, a former pub closred down at the end of Shenley Road - its never reopened, but above it they put in a couple of air b&B type flats without planning permission. It essentially functions as a cheap hostel - not a major problem, but annoyimng when it was done illegally.

[Earl Aelfheah]

Angelina Wrote:

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> There was a similar set up on North Cross Road,

> which was a hostel but taken up by low paid

> workers for ?100 a week.

How depressing.