Pub gets another round as stars call time on developer’s plans

A Chelsea pub has been saved from redevelopment into a £20 million home after a huge campaign against its closure.

Local residents including Hugh Grant and former footballer Sol Campbell were among more than 1,000 people who signed a petition against a planning application to turn the Phene Arms into a residence complete with steam room, swimming pool and gym complex.

A government planning inspector yesterday upheld Kensington and Chelsea council’s original decision to reject the application by property developer Robert Bourne, whose 26-year-old daughter Lily runs the pub.

Publishing its decision, the Planning Inspectorate said closing the Phene — which was footballer George Best’s local —would harm the character of the neighbourhood, which is in a conservation area.

Terence Bendixson, honorary secretary for planning at the Chelsea Society, said: “We are all absolutely thrilled about this decision because I think it draws a line in the sand and makes pubs in Kensington and Chelsea very dangerous for developers.

“It is vital that we keep our local pubs and this campaign showed how much support there is for the Phene.”

Mr Bourne spent an estimated six-figure sum in legal bills attempting to obtain permission to turn the

163-year-old Phene into a private home. He has also spent millions on refurbishments to the pub since he bought it 10 years ago.

Mr Bourne’s first application for a change of use order last March was rejected by the planning committee. He asked for a public inquiry into the decision, arguing that the pub, built by philanthropist Samuel Phene for local workers in 1850, was not profitable and “serves no recognisable local community function”.

But residents blocked the redevelopment using a new policy by Kensington and Chelsea council to protect pubs from closure.