Council planners have recommended the latest bid to repurpose an "unattractive" village hall be halted.

Sherbourne Park Estate has submitted another application to Warwick District Council (WDC) to turn Sherbourne Village Hall into offices, after being refused permission for a similar scheme in September 2023.

Planners said the previous proposals would have come at the detriment of the local community, and came to a similar conclusion this time around.

"The loss of the village hall use is therefore not considered to be justified and the principle of the development is not supported," a council report said, recommended permission be refused.

Councillors will make the final decision at next week's planning committee meeting.

While WDC's report did recognise the actual designs would not "give rise to harm in relation to character of the area" it also said this did not outweigh the loss to the local area.

"When considering all matters within the planning balance the harm identified regarding the principle of the development is not considered to be outweighed by any benefits of the scheme," the report continued.

"The development is therefore considered to represent an unsustainable form of development, and it is recommended that planning permission be refused."

In its latest application, the estate said the hall has been advertised for over a year but "no enquiries or bookings have been received" and was last used to broadcast Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

"The premises being unoccupied and not maintained is unattractive to the local street scene," the application said. 

"No external material changes are required to the hall as part of this change of use application. 

"We therefore conclude that the impact on the conservation area will be neutral. 

"The detached garage to be removed offers no enhancement or benefit to the conservation area."

Plans show the former school building would provide one large open office as well as two bathrooms and a small kitchen space.

See the full council report here.

(Header image by David Stowell via geograph.org.uk)