The Old Ox Inn – Update from the Parish Council

Application: P/FUL/2022/02998

Further to the much-discussed planning application at the rear of the pub and the village's concerns for the future viability of the pub, the Parish Council would like to update the village on the events and activities that have been happening since the Extraordinary Meeting of the 16th of June which was so well attended.

We are currently, still awaiting a decision from the council planning department on the Montpellier Development’s application submitted to Dorset Council in May. There are, however, other developments we wish to bring to your attention.

The Shillingstone Village Plan (SVP) was submitted to North Dorset District Council in 2016, which the village voted for via a referendum held in February 2017, and shortly thereafter the Shillingstone neighbourhood plan was integrated into the overall development plan for North Dorset. On page 15 of the SVP, the Parish Council indicated that they would reserve the right to nominate the Old Ox as an Asset of Community Value "if their continued use as a community facility were likely to come under threat."

Following the planning application by Montepellier Developments in May, and following expert advice, the Parish Council followed through on this promise and again unanimously voted during the July Parish Council Meeting to nominate the Old Ox and its surrounding land including Landlords Garden and Paddock as an Asset of Community Value (ACV); this was submitted in early August.

Identifying it as an asset to the local community strengthens the local community’s protection of assets that are shown to be ‘social interests’ including cultural, recreational, and sporting interests. When querying the progress of the planning application in early September, we were advised that the decision had been deferred until after the ACV nomination process had been determined at the end of the month; on September 28th we were notified that this nomination had been successful.

What are Assets of Community Value (ACV)

Last week we were advised by Dorset Planning, under the terms of the ACV, of the owner’s intention to dispose of part of the asset, having decided to put the Old Ox up for sale without the landlords’ garden or paddock...

“The property in question comprises the pub, car park and immediate curtilage and garden. The adjoining land which is subject to a legally binding option is excluded from the sale.”

This notification triggers two moratoriums – the first of which, the Interim Moratorium, gives the community six weeks to decide whether they would like to be considered as a bidder for the Asset. The second, known as the Full Moratorium, lasts six months, during which the community can develop a proposal and raise the money required to bid to buy the asset.

Timeline of Key Dates

• 18/05/2022- Planning application submitted for 7 dwellings behind the Ox and Squirrels Leap accessed via a new road to the side of the pub. The plans reduce the pub footprint by removing its private garden and by reducing the pub garden. The pub would no longer be able to hold large social events or even host Tuesday night fish and chips.
• 14/06/2022 - Parish Council calls an extraordinary meeting to review all elements of the planning application. Shillingstone PC unanimously rejects the planning application on the grounds of endangering the viability of the pub, destroying trees (climate), blocking the uninterrupted green views defined in the Neighbourhood plan, and introducing a potentially dangerous access point to the new access road onto Blandford Road with close proximity to the existing entrance to the Old Ox Inn customer Car Park and limited visibility to on-coming traffic.
• 23/06/2022 - Objection lodged - Shillingstone Parish Council submit their objection. Many villagers submitted their own private objections.
• 27/07/2022- The final date for submissions and objections to Dorset Council for the Planning Application
• 15/08/2022- Asset of Community Value (ACV) - concerned about the potential loss of the viability of the pub, Shillingstone Parish Council submit an application, to list The Ox and the adjoining land as an Asset of Community Value.
• 28/09/2022 - Granting of ACV - Dorset Council grant the application to list The Old Ox and adjoining land as an ACV for 5 years.
• 03/10/2022- The Ox owner's intention to dispense the pub - Dorset Council notify Shillingstone Parish Council of the Ox owner’s intentions concerning the pub - it is intended to be sold without the private garden and drey access (thus enabling a road to be built to access the new dwellings) and without the land that adjoins the pub to the rear. The community has 6 weeks to indicate its interest in making a bid to purchase the pub as described.
• 14/11/2022 - Deadline - the community must indicate that it wishes to bid prior to this date. If the community does not submit an intention to bid within this period, the owners are free to dispose of the property on the open market. Due to the ACV status, it must be preserved as a pub.

To date (06/10/2022) there has been no decision announced on the planning application. If you are interested in supporting any bid for the Old Ox please contact Ian Suter.

If you would like more information or have information to share, please do also come to the Parish Council Meeting on Thursday 2nd November at 7 pm in the Shillingstone Church Centre.