Fate of White Swan at Thornton-le-Clay due to be decided
CAMPAIGNERS are still waiting to hear the fate of a village pub near York, three months after a public inquiry was held.
The Save Our Swan campaign group is hoping a planning inspector will dismiss an appeal against Ryedale District Council’s refusal of planning permission for the conversion of the White Swan at Thornton-Le-Clay to a five-bedroom family home.
SOS chair Matt Smith said members were still awaiting news of the outcome of the appeal hearing, which was held at the beginning of November.
“As we had anticipated an outcome within weeks, we are of course eager now to receive his response,” he said.
“We are still hopeful of a positive outcome, as a result of the strength of our case, which supported Ryedale District Council’s defence at the hearing, alongside the public support we have received so far.
“We believe the delay to be more a reflection of the complexities of this particular case, and the implications for other rural pubs in terms of planning precedent.”
The White Swan closed in 2020 but hundreds of residents have backed calls for it to be reopened as a pub.
However, the appellants argued that conversion of the property into a dwelling would not adversely affect the village, with other community buildings acting as meeting places and pubs in nearby villages accessible to locals.