A pub that has been derelict for more than a decade could be torn down to make way for new homes.
The site of the former Seven Stars pub in West Street, Hucknall, could finally be used for redevelopment.
After closing in 2013, the pub has sat empty ever since, with a developer saying the building has a “detrimental effect” on the setting of the conservation area.
Now, Morro Partnerships Limited and Dorothy, James, Thomas and Joanna Sztejer have applied to Ashfield District Council to demolish the structure and use the land for 30 affordable homes.
Housing was not the first plan put forward for the old site. It was set to become a new super health and wellbeing centre a few years ago.
Hucknall was previously one of six UK towns shortlisted to host one of the new ‘Cavell Centres’, named after the British First World War nurse Edith Cavell, which would have brought services including GP practices, pharmacies and dental clinics together in one building.
The former Conservative government paused this pilot programme in 2023, and the current Labour government did not commit to the scheme when it came into office. It was ultimately scrapped due to financial viability problems.
Andrew Ludlow, secretary at Nottingham CAMRA, who lives in the town, said the potential loss of the building was “sad”.
He said, “It’s a shame… I remember it in its days as a home-brewing pub, and it was very much a local community pub,” but spoke of the financial difficulties of running a pub, which have made many “unviable”.
He said: “I always hoped it could be preserved and kept as a pub. It’s part of the historic pub scene in Hucknall.
“As a resident, it’s one of my greatest concerns: an increase in housing but no increase in health services, making it almost impossible to get an appointment at our local surgery now.”
Mr Ludlow called pubs an “essential fabric of our towns” and said they were “disappearing at an alarming rate”.
He added: “They’re not simply a business; they’re very much community centres.
“The only good thing occurring is that we’ve had quite a number of micropubs [in Hucknall], and that’s useful, but it’s still a worrying sign to see places now gone.”
The proposed mix of houses includes 14 two-bed homes, 14 three-bed homes and two three-bed homes.
Planning documents say each home would include off-street parking, either with a driveway or courtyard space.
The council will decide on the plans at a later stage, with the authority setting a deadline of 30 September 2026 for a decision.
By Lauren Monaghan, Local Democracy Reporter