PLANS to convert The Black Fox pub into a children’s nursery and pre-school have now been considered by the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA).

Pre-application advice was sought by the owners of Green Roots Nursery, based in Emsworth, to apply for change of use from a public house to a children’s nursery and pre-school.

In an informal report, the SDNPA refers to the Milland Neighbourhood Development Plan, which identifies the building, on Portsmouth Road, as a community meeting place.

The report states “the applications for a change of use, which would result in the loss of a community facility, will only be permitted where it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the planning authority there is no longer a demand for the facility within the area and the premises have been marketed for a reasonable period of time at a price which reflects the existing use, size and condition of the property”.

Although Green Roots Nursery’s supporting statement argues the proposal would allow a community use on the site, the SDNPA warns it would be a “private use and in a different form to that of a public house”.

The report says for such for an application to be acceptable in principle, officers require an application to provide evidence of a “robust marketing campaign” and evidence of it lasting for at least 18 months prior to the application – to demonstrate the community facility was “no longer required”.

With The Black Fox situated along the old A3, the report also addresses additional traffic activity and states “officers would need to be satisfied there would be no adverse impact on highways safety and parking along the frontage of the building”.

Proposals for the conversion and change of use of buildings in the rural area would be permitted subject to a number of criteria, said the SDNPA.

The buildings must be structurally sound and capable of conversion and not involve the erection of extensions.

The conversion and change of use must also respect the “character, fabric and setting” of the buildings, and the new use must also be capable of being carried out wholly within the curtilage of the existing buildings.

The type and level of the activity proposed must not be detrimental to the character of the rural road network, or the surrounding area, and not have an “unacceptable effect on the amenities of local residents or of other users of the countryside”.

Green Roots claims the proposal will involve minimal operational development with most works proposed internally and stress no new buildings are proposed as part of the change of use.

It added the site was well-enclosed by substantial planting, minimising views of the property from its surroundings and there was ample parking on site to cater for the morning, afternoon and evening peak drop off and pick-ups.

The site on the B2070 lies within the South Downs National Park as well as Milland’s Neighbourhood Plan area, which supports the extension and development of existing and new community buildings and aims to protect existing community uses.