Save The Pheasant update – 4th May 2025

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We recently chased the Yorkshire Dales Planning Officer for an update about the Pheasant Inn as the planning application seems to be stuck in their system. From our conversations with the Clare Bland, the Planning Officer, it appears that she does not place too much weight on the 60+ objections we sent!

Remarkably, it also seems that because she has not been asked about the progress of the planning application by the objectors, she is of the view that Casterton residents and pub users are no longer interested in keeping the Pheasant open.

Clearly that’s not how we, Casterton Community Hub Limited (CCHL), understood the planning system to work. As we are sure many of you are aware, planning departments are underfunded and struggling to keep up with their workload. Their online guidance is to not harangue them for updates.

CCHL has subsequently sent a very detailed letter with attachments evidencing the substantial activity taken on behalf of the community, hopefully demonstrating that there is indeed an intense interest in keeping the Pheasant open.

We are hoping that the planning application will be discussed at the next YDNP planning committee meeting (scheduled in July).

What can you do?

1. If you didn’t submit an objection last year, the planning portal is still open so you can submit one now – please do so! Submit objections at https://planning.agileapplications.co.uk/yorkshiredales/application-details/40494
2. If you did submit an objection, could you please email the planning officer to confirm that despite the application apparently being stalled your objection still holds. The email address is clare.bland@yorkshiredales.org.uk reference “S/05/62A – The Pheasant Inn”

In your email or objection to the planning officer, you could mention any or all of these:

• the community had the Pheasant Inn listed as an Asset of Community Value because we value the Inn and it is essential to the wellbeing of the community that it stays open
• the Pheasant is still trading and is busier than ever, used by locals and tourists
• there are no other pubs within easy walking distance – it is the only pub in the village
• loss of the Pheasant will affect local employment
• the location of the Pheasant is perfectly placed to service the whole of the village

Please do (1) or (2) – it’s really important that we send a strong message to the Planning Officer since if she recommends the application is approved we will lose our pub forever.

We are hoping that planning will be refused so that the community can move on with trying to purchase it.