A property developer has lost its latest bid to repurpose a village hall described as a "dreadful eyesore" after a planning inspector threw out its appeal.

In 2024 Warwick District Council (WDC) refused to acknowledge the Meadows Hut in Stoneleigh is no longer designated for community use - the latest in a decade-long saga around the building.

JBC Property Developments said the building has been vacant since 2013, and claimed the past three owners have all tried to find a new use for it, as the timber structure is no longer suitable for public use.

WDC planners said the building could be returned to community use, despite JBC arguing there are "clear structural issues" and the building has "reached the end of its lifespan".

An appeal was then submitted, in a bid to overthrow the council's decision.

But it was dismissed last month.

"The evidence in support of the application contends that the use of the building as a community use has been abandoned and as a result the building now has a nil use," the inspector said.

"The council's case is that it has not been sufficiently demonstrated that the community use has been abandoned and this was the basis on which the granting of a certificate was refused."

advertisement

They continued: "I conclude that, on the balance of probabilities, an LDC cannot be granted for the use of the appeal building as a 'nil use'."

In its appeal, JBC set out its position clearly saying: "If a reasonable person saw the state of the building, knew that it had remained like this for the last 14 years and had no intervening uses, no repairs, no public use or maintenance, no visits at all would they, being a reasonable person consider the use to be abandoned?

"It is our view that yes, they would and on that basis, we consider that the appeal should be allowed and the certificate be issued for the lawfulness of the site as a community use as having been abandoned and the site accordingly having a nil use."

See the full application here.

The hut is said to be in a poor state (image via planning application)