A businessman’s plans to re-open a flood-hit Mirfield pub have been hit by planning delays – even before he’s submitted a planning application.
Alan Chappelow bought the Ship Inn in Steanard Lane two years ago and is ready to invest around £750,000 and re-open the popular family pub and restaurant which has been shut since February 2022.
The Ship is right next to the River Calder and is prone to flooding, having being forced to shut around 11 times in nine years up to 2020.
Major flooding events saw the pub closed for five months in 2016 and for eight months after a deluge from Storm Ciara in February 2020.
The owners at the time, Greene King, invested heavily in flood prevention measures including a flood wall but the pub was inundated again in February 2022.
Greene King decided to shut the pub “indefinitely” and it was eventually sold to Mr Chappelow, who runs one of the UK’s leading sports pitch turf companies from the nearby Calder Farm.
Now Mr Chappelow is keen to re-open the pub but wanted to take informal advice from Kirklees Council planners – known as a ‘pre-app’ – before submitting a full planning application.
Mr Chappelow paid the fee in October last year and consulted with the council over his plans – and expected the council would speak with the Environment Agency on the flood risk – but has heard nothing since.
“It’s frustrating because we are ready to go and want to get on with it,” said Mr Chappelow, who also owns the nearby Arthur’s cafe and Ladywood Lakes fishing lakes.
Mr Chappelow has commissioned a Flood Risk Assessment and is confident measures can be put in place to prevent future flooding.
“Of course there’s a risk the pub will flood again but we will do whatever the Environment Agency wants us to do,” he said.
“We are not daunted at the prospect, in fact it’s the challenge that makes it so attractive for us.”
Mr Chappelow is working with an architect and has commissioned a specialist Flood Risk Assessment.
He expects to build a 5ft flood wall around the pub to hold back the water. The Environment Agency may say he needs to channel away the floodwater into a pond so that it doesn’t cause flooding elsewhere downstream.
Mr Chappelow added: “I’ve known the Ship for 60 years and it’s always flooded and you just have to live with it. We know there’s a way to protect the building and we will do whatever we’re asked to do.”
Mr Chappelow wants to give the pub a more upmarket feel for an improved dining experience.
He plans to create a new entrance with a staircase to a new upper level which could become a function room.
The restaurant could have around 150 covers and employ around 40 staff.
“There’s an urgency about this as the building has been broken into and vandalised,” he said. “It’s all fenced off but as much as you try to keep them out, they will always find a way in.
“There’s a health and safety issue and when you ring the police it feels like a waste of police time.
“As soon as we hear back from the council and the Environment Agency we will submit a full planning application and we have a team of builders ready to go.”
Mr Chappelow said there was a great deal of interest in the site from the public who were keen for it to re-open.
He also wanted to scotch speculation that land behind the car park which had been cleared and re-seeded would be sold for housing.
“We’re not going to build houses, it’s a flood plain,” he said. “We’ve no plans for the land and it will probably stay as it is. The wildlife and birds love it and it’s all growing back naturally.”
Mr Chappelow said it hadn’t been decided whether to retain the Ship’s name or maybe change it to something like The Ship Titanic – and fill it with nautical memorabilia!
A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: “Kirklees Council considers each pre-application individually, assessing potential risks and consulting with relevant internal teams.
“Where appropriate, we work with partner organisations to make sure any future proposals properly consider issues such as flood risk and safety.
“We recognise the importance of local businesses to our communities and are committed to supporting applicants through the planning process.
“Work on this enquiry is ongoing, and we will continue to liaise with the relevant organisations as it progresses.”
The Environment Agency could find no contact on the matter from Kirklees Council.
