Our mission is to reduce social isolation and end loneliness for people living in our community and beyond. Our vision is a vibrant, flexible community asset which will act as a catalyst for regeneration; reigniting the local economy and returning a sense of community to this area of Birkdale. The pub will reopen as a quiet pub. A traditional family friendly pub serving real ale and sensibly priced wholesome food . We will be more than a pub. We will be opening a dementia cafe hosted by a local Admiral Nurse; create 12 new jobs in the pub, employ adults with learning disabilities, provide a safe space for all; have a base for community activities, bring in new trade via events and links to community groups; use our green spaces to grow fruit and vegetables; and be a good neighbour to our our community.

We have worked hard to agree a compromise with the Pub's current owners to buy the pub. We have a detailed business plan and access to grant and loan funding of up to £350,000. We need around ten weeks to raise the money we need to buy, renovate stock and staff the pub. Opening in the original vaults and fully renovating the pub's exterior in the first phase of the project.

We will be presenting our case in detail to Sefton Planning committee on Wednesday 25th September at 6:30pm and we need you to show your support. Look out for our CrowdFunder page which is coming soon. For a copy of our business plan please contact the project team by email at dellpreservation@gmail.com. We are group of concerned local residents and we fear the loss of the last large building capable of offering a community facility accessible to all.

Ref: DC/2018/02240

34.Upper Aughton Road, Birkdale, Southport PR8 5ND

Erection of 8 dwelling houses following the demolition of the former Blundell Arms public house

We wish to object to this application on the grounds that the development would result in the loss of a viable and sustainable community facility.

1.    The Blundell Arms Community Pub Ltd made a bid directly to the developer for just the main pub building fronting Upper Aughton Road, offering 100% of what the developer paid for the whole site.  This would mean that the developer could build 4 houses on the remaining 50% of the site and sell the main pub building on at a profit;

2.    This bid has not been accepted because the developer seems more interested in maximising profits rather than supporting the wider good/public benefit;

3.    It is intended to put the main pub building to a range of community uses, to include:
-    Home to Southport’s first Dementia Café run by a local Admiral Nurse. The pub will adapt the main bar during the day to allow for dedicated use by people living with Dementia and their Carers
-    Provide long term employment and training for adults with learning difficulties in partnership with an established local charity.
-    Build a wheelchair accessible farm garden in partnership with the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens
-    Open a community, business and training centre with community IT facilities using the many upstairs rooms. All such rooms can double as stall space for pop-up markets; 
-    Work with partners in the community, we will open our own microbrewery with support from our local CAMRA branch; open a gin distillery including a Make Your Own Gin day experience in partnership with Birkdale Craft Distillery; and start a community radio station project led by a local radio presenter; 
-    Restore and preserve the historic residents bar including the original murals painted on the walls; 
-    Maintain a quiet space accessible to all as we seek to reduce loneliness and social isolation in our community.

4.    The proposed community use would fully accord with paragraph 91 of the NPPF https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810507/NPPF_Feb_2019_print_revised.pdf .  This is a material consideration in the context of Sefton Local Plan Policy SD1.  However, the opportunity to deliver these wide ranging community benefits would be lost for the sake of developer profit if planning permission for purely residential development of the site is approved.

5.    The Council should, therefore, encourage the mixed-use of the site to deliver residential and community facilities