An old pub in Trowbridge is set to be converted into a home after it was declared to be “dying a death for the last few years”.

Wiltshire Council has approved an application to transform The Anchor and Hope pub on Frome Road into a new dwelling.

The plans were submitted in May 2024 and have now been given the green light.

According to the application, the venue has been empty for over a year, with the supporting statement noting that it was “no longer viable” and had been “dying a death for the last few years”.

Scaffolding has been put up on the rear of the building.Scaffolding has been put up on the rear of the building. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Wiltshire Council’s case officer concluded: “The loss of the public house use would not result in harm to the wider area, as there are other public houses in the vicinity, such as the nearby Black Horse, also along Frome Road. 

“It is arguable, that the empty pub building contributes to the lack of vitality and viability of the immediate area and that bringing a new residential use to the area would reinforce its status as more local people would either use the Black Horse or town centre pub locations such as Wetherspoons.”

In other pub planning news, a request to change the use of a Malmesbury pub into a restaurant has been approved.

The Red Bull InnThe Red Bull Inn (Image: Reade Associates)

The plans concern The Red Bull Inn on Bristol Road and will see it transformed into an Italian restaurant.

The new occupiers can now commence work to transform the venue.

Further north in the county, a parish council has nominated a 700-year-old pub to become an asset of community value.

The Wheatsheaf Inn.The Wheatsheaf Inn. (Image: Google)

The Wheatsheaf Inn in Oaksey, near Malmesbury, has been described to Wiltshire Council as “well-used by locals”.

However, according to Oaksey Parish Council, there have been numerous tenants in the last decade who have encountered financial difficulties.

The nomination states: “The Parish Council and villagers are concerned that as there is no tenant, someone may purchase the freehold and attempt to apply for change of use to residential, because of lack of commercial viability.

“The Parish Council are fully in favour of registering the Wheatsheaf as a community asset and would like to register a right to bid if the ownership became available.”

Also sent to the council this week was an application for the construction of a roundhouse and polytunnel at St Mary’s Primary School in Marlborough.

The timber roundhouse will be used for wildlife observation by the students, whilst the polytunnel is planned for educational horticulture.

Wiltshire Council’s decision deadline date is Friday, August 9.

Finally, an old care home in Marlborough is set to be converted back into its prior use of two homes.

Permission was initially granted for Highfield Care Home in the late 1980s, and in 2019 Wiltshire Council approved the increase of capacity of the care home from 24 to 36 bedrooms.

Now, Price & Weeks Property Ltd has been given the go-ahead to transform the empty care home back into homes.

The application said: “The proposed development will reinstate the original residential use of the application buildings and will result in less intensive use of the site.

“The development will therefore be more in-keeping with the adjoining residential properties and reduce any potential impact on the amenity of the residents of adjoining properties.

“In terms of the occupiers of the proposed dwellings, they will benefit from large private amenity space to the rear of the dwellings and ample space within.”

The case officer report added: “Due to the very limited physical alterations of the buildings, no harm would be caused to neighbour amenity in terms of over shadowing, loss of privacy or overbearing impact.”