More than 1,000 people object to flats planned next to Bath's Bell Inn
The Walcot Street pub fears noise complaints from new neighbours
More than 1,000 people have objected to plans to build flats directly next to a Bath pub known for its live music.
Housing developers want to build nine flats adjoining the Bell Inn on Walcot Street.
The pub, which has been a thriving music venue since the 1960s, fears it will face noise complaints from anyone who moves in.
A Bell spokesperson said: "We don't want to find ourselves being asked to turn down the music, reduce our events or change what makes the Bell what it is."
A post on the pub's Facebook page said: 'A huge thank you to everyone who has stood up for live music, our community, and the future of our pub.'
Objections to the plans
So far, 1,147 people have submitted objections to Bath and North East Somerset Council, urging it not to grant planning permission.
Only five comments were left in support of the flats.
Among those to object is Bath's Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse.
She said the decision on whether to grant planning permission should take the potential impact on the Bell into account.
Her objection said: 'The proposal would place a valued grassroots music venue at risk of operational restriction and consequent loss of community amenity. The venue provides a very long-established cultural and social function for the local community, which should be protected from the unreasonable impacts of introducing residential accommodation immediately alongside it.'
Jessie Spencer-Barrett said in an objection: 'As someone who knows the pub extremely well, the noise assessment is entirely misleading.'
She added: 'The loss to residents of Bath, if the council were forced to review the pub's music licence, would be huge.
'The free meeting space for any community groups, free music anyone can attend, no expectation of spending money to spend time in the pub - all of these are things you don't get elsewhere in Bath. The Bell is a hub for creativity and community for these reasons, and many people's mental health would be negatively affected if we lost it. The Bath Fringe Festival is run from the Bell, as are many other cultural events which are important for the whole city.'
Another objector, Pete Stroud, said: 'The Bell is part of what makes Bath unique. It has enormous cultural and social value, having provided free live music to the public several nights a week for half a century. To threaten this for the sake of a few inappropriate and unsustainable flats seems ludicrous, and I urge the council to reject this proposal.
'Live music and a lively outside beer garden have never been a problem to local residents, largely because there is nobody living right next door.'
Jamie Hughes said in another objection: 'I appreciate the need for new housing but to squeeze in a few properties in an already built up area next to a thriving music venue and pub is not the place.'
What the plans involve
The plans would see an industrial unit next to the pub knocked down, with the flats built adjoining the pub in its place.
Developers are supposed to include adequate soundproofing.
However, the noise assessment submitted with the planning application claims the Bell only hosts "occasional" live music and that assessing the noise from inside the pub was not necessary.
It only accounts for a "reasonable worst-case scenario" of 70 people in the beer garden speaking with raised voices.
Who will decide
The plans will either be decided by planning officers at Bath and North East Somerset Council or by councillors on its planning committee.
Walcot councillor John Leach (Liberal Democrat) sits on the committee and has called for it to decide the plans, although he will have to recuse himself for the item.
He said: "I have been very public about my objection and opposition."
Mr Leach warned that, if planning permission was granted, the council would not be able to stop anyone living in the new flats from complaining about the pub.
He said: "Residents have a statutory right to complain about noise and you can't contract that away."
The Bell's history
The 300-year-old pub was almost sold off 13 years ago, but was bought by the community in a campaign supported by music icons Peter Gabriel and Robert Plant.
The Bell hosts live music three or four nights a week, with DJs at the weekend.
Manager Arron Whan previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It is electric - especially on Wednesday nights when we have got a loud band on, we've got a lot of students in, and we have got the whole mixed crowd of people. It's great."
Mr Whan said: "We don't get many pubs like this in the county and we've got to look after these places because they are special."