The Leslie Arms: Let’s keep it for Community Benefit: Oppose the Planning Appeal by the Owner

Local Councillors and residents welcome the removal of the scaffolding and hoardings in October 2025. Councillor Sean Fitzsimons spoke with the foreman on the site, and he confirmed that most of the work on the frontage has been completed. There will be some high-level work done by a cherry picker. The front area will be cobbled.

The owner has made a planning appeal this autumn regarding the use of the ground floor. The Council’s planning officers had previously agreed that the ground floor should be used for a public house or community centre. The owner now wants to convert the ground floor and basement into offices, which means the building will no longer be open to the community.

Local Councillors are in favour of keeping the ground floor for community use or as a public house.

The Leslie Arms is the landmark building of this part of Addiscombe. It is essential that this landmark building is accessible to the public, whether as a public house or community centre, and serves as a key building in helping to regenerate the wider Lower Addiscombe Road/Cherry Orchard Road district centre.

Residents can comment in support of keeping the ground floor of this landmark building as either a community centre or a public house.

To lodge your objection with the Planning Inspectorate, you have to use their online appeals service. Planning Appeal Reference: APP/L5240/Y/25/336955

You can find the service through the Appeals area of the Planning Portal – see https://acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk. The reference you need to add to the portal website is 336955.

You can also write directly to James Pocock– Case Officer, quoting the appeal reference number APP/L5240/Y/25/336955. Please make sure that the Planning Inspectorate receives any comments that you want to make on the appeals by 14th November 2025; otherwise, they will not usually be seen by the Inspector and will be returned.