A London pub has become the first in the country to be saved from closure by local people utilising the Localism Act, which came into force last year.
Grade II listed The Ivy House in Nunhead has now been classified as an ‘asset of community value’ by Southwark Council which protects it from change of use and halts any pending sale until community groups have had the chance to buy the property.
Evening Standard Article: LINK
18 April 2013
Since this link to the press article CAMRA adviser Dale Ingram has offered clarifications as follows:
1. Registration as an ACV does not prevent closure. The Ivy House closed last May 2 days after it was Grade II listed by DCMS, and has remained closed since.
2. Registration as an ACV does not prevent change of use. Any owner can still apply to demolish and redevelop any pub it owns without recourse to the nominating community interest group. ACV status may be a material consideration by planners when considering applications for change of use, at their discretion.
3. Team Ivy House bought the freehold and the purchase completed on Friday 15th March. They are currently seeking a manager for the pub business and putting together a project team to undertake repair and reinstatement to enable reopening.
4. Ivy House Pub Ltd are currently running a community share scheme to enable the refurbishment works. Funding was supplied for the capital purchase by the Architectural Heritage Fund, and pro bono professional work from lawyers and a structural survey by the Brian Morton Partnership.
