PLANS to turn a former pub into seven holiday lets have been approved by the council - despite a number of locals objecting to the application.

An application for work to take place at the Fitzwilliam Arms, on Hill Street, in Elsecar, was submitted to the council in January this year.

The plans included the demolition and reconstruction of parts of the building.

A report states: “The pub is a three-bay brick building with tooled voussoired lintels and a central doorway with a simple Tuscan-style door surround.

“In October 2024, the local planning authority was made aware of the intention of the owner to demolish the building due to its poor structural condition.

“Planning, conservation and enforcement colleagues were made aware, and the owner was advised planning permission was required.

“Despite this warning, the roof has now been removed due to concerns voiced by the owner of collapse during past stormy weather.

“Without the roof the building is clearly now at risk.”

The development will see two holiday lets on the first floor, three on the ground floor and two on the lower ground floor to the rear of the building.

When the plans went to public consultation, seven objections were raised by residents.

They ranged from the impact on the local community, the potential of HMO use and the ‘potential for crime’.

The report added: “A sequential test has been provided which states that the public house is not economically viable and the income generated would not meet the cost of the demolition and rebuild necessary for the safety of the building.

“The area is also well provided with alternative public houses in the locality.

“Therefore, it is not considered that the change of use would have a significant effect on the ability of local people to access a similar service elsewhere.

“The loss of the public house via the change of use is therefore acceptable in principle where it will not have a detrimental impact on the amenity of surrounding residents, visual amenity, Elsecar Conservation Area and highway safety.

“This weighs significantly in favour of the proposal.

“There will be no impact upon highway safety.

“From a highway perspective, the principle of development is acceptable in terms of location, servicing, and access given the extant use of the site.

“The site has the requisite parking and during the course of the application two parking spaces have been removed at the request of highways to aid vehicular access.

“It is therefore considered that the proposals do not adversely impact upon the highway and are acceptable from a highways perspective.”

The plans were subsequently approved by Barnsley Council’s planning board earlier this week.