5 hours Ago By [email protected] (Matthew Senior)
Plans have been approved to convert The Cherry Tree in Haddenham into a four-bedroom house (Image: Cambridgeshire Live) Sign up to our free email newsletter to receive the latest breaking news and daily roundups More Newsletters Subscribe Please enter a valid email Something went wrong, please try again later. More Newsletters We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you.
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More info × Group 28 Thank you for subscribing! We have more newsletters Show Me No thanks, close See our Privacy Notice A former village bar and café on the outskirts of Ely will be converted into housing after plans were approved. The Cherry Tree, on Duck Lane in Haddenham, shut its doors to customers in January 2024. The plans for the site were put forward by Odyssey Pensions earlier this year.
They would see the venue converted into a new four-bedroom house with associated parking and landscaping. In addition, the bar and lounge would be transformed into an open plan kitchen and dining area. The kitchen will be turned into a master bedroom, while three more homes will be built on the site's car park.
Read more: East West Rail reveals latest proposals for Cambridgeshire including upgrades to Cambridge station Read more: Motorist who damaged Cambridgeshire restaurant's wall urged to come forward The three extra properties on the site would be one-and-a-half storey homes, each consisting of three bedrooms. They will also all have two car parking spaces. When the application was first put forward, several objections were raised by people living nearby regarding the impact of the new homes as well as the loss of the venue.
One person said: "The Cherry Tree has provided multiple facilities within a single building that is both unusual and very valuable to the village. I do not accept that there has been sufficient effort in finding an alternative owner". Another person commented said the infrastructure of the village "needs improving before any more houses are added".
They added the large windows of the three new proposed houses would have a "detrimental overlooking impact" to the nearby bungalows. However, there has been some support for the application. One person who initially objected said that while they were sorry to see the Cherry Tree go, they felt that the new homes are "a suitable development".
In a planning statement, the applicants said that The Cherry Tree was no longer viable as a business. They added that there had been previous attempts to market the building and bring it back into use, but these proved to not be successful. The statement read: "The Cherry Tree Public House business is no longer viable.
It can be demonstrated that the current use or an alternative community use is not financially viable, and all reasonable efforts have been made to sell or let the property for community purposes at a realistic price. "The owner of the business has pursued alternative community use, for example a café/bar offering hot and cold drinks, along with breakfast and lunch, weekly midwife services and Christmas fayres that have been unsuccessful. "Discussions have also taken place with Haddenham Parish Council and Haddenham Community Land Trust, as well as offering residents the opportunity to purchase shares of the business.
Neither of which were successful. "The 'change of use' of The Cherry Tree does not leave the village without a public house or café. Haddenham also has 'The Three Kings' owned by Greene King which is open 11am –11pm, seven days per week offering food and drink.
"Also, 'Haddenham Arts Centre Café' is open 10am-3.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, serving hot food until 2.30pm.
Haddenham further benefits from a fully licensed and well supported sports and social club and a new micropub was granted planning approval in recent times, albeit not yet appearing to have been implemented. The plans can be viewed in full on the East Cambridgeshire District Council planning portal. This can be done using the reference 24/00620/FUL or by clicking here .
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