Planning committee claims conversion of The Denmark Arms into adult gaming centre would be an “overconcentration of gambling uses” for the area, reports Nick Clark, Local Democracy Reporter

The Denmark Arms (creidt Nick Clark/LDRS) — The Denmark Arms (credit Nick Clark/LDRS)

A plan to turn a vacant East Ham pub into a mini-casino has been rejected by councillors.

Property developer 311 Investments Ltd asked Newham Council for planning permission to change the permitted use of the ground floor of The Denmark Arms from a pub into an adult gaming centre – filled with slot machines.

But councillors rejected its application on the grounds that it would mean the loss of a pub and an “overconcentration of gambling uses” in the area.

They also agreed with planning officers that the conversion would “cause harm to the significance” of the grade two listed building, at the junction of Barking Road and High Street North.

311 Investments owner Maxwell Davitt and his planning agent Andrew Wood urged councillors to approve the plans at a local development committee meeting yesterday (Wednesday 24th).

Wood said that refusing the application would “leave that building unloved, unused and going to decay”.

He said there was “no way those premises will open as a public house”, arguing the industry had declined in Newham and that a mini-casino is “one of the only uses that is likely to work at these premises”.

“We are desperate to keep it looking as it is,” Wood added.

Wood also said that the adult gaming centre was different to the betting shops nearby in High Street North.

However, one resident argued that 311 Investments hadn’t proved that a mini-casino was the best possible use of The Denmark Arms.

She said: “The applicant has not demonstrated that the public benefits of an adult gaming centre outweigh the harm caused by loss of the building’s historic community function.

“This building has the potential to support far more valuable uses such as a family café, bakery, community and business hub or flexible space for milestone celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries, including for children.”

Council planning officers recommended that committee members vote to refuse the application.

Officers said the conversion of the ground floor only would be “piecemeal” development and that the building should be treated as a whole.

They also said 311 Investments had not provided marketing evidence to show there was no prospect of The Denmark Arms remaining as a pub, and that its conversion would result in too many gambling venues in East Ham.

Planning officers also raised concerns that conversion works would result in “the erosion of the building’s established public house identity”.

And they suggested that its 24-hour opening time could attract late night gatherings, while the proposals had not shown how the development would deter crime.

Councillors voted unanimously to refuse the application.

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