18th century Caldicot pub could be turned into homes

Ye Olde Tippling Philosopher, on Chepstow Road was the oldest pub in Caldicot before it closed in October 2011.

The pub is a Grade II listed building and proposals submitted to Monmouthshire County Council’s planning department are to convert the building into two residential homes.

The modern extensions of the pub will be demolished as part of the plans and five other houses erected on the site.

The planning committee deferred the application in March and plans have been amended to widen the driveway to improve vehicle access to the site.

Enterprise Inns are the developers who have proposed that two of the houses will be affordable housing.

The new dwellings will be located on the land which has been used as a car park and materials will be used to echo the original farmstead.

Four of the new dwellings will be semi-detached with red-brick walls and the third dwelling will encompass the three remaining walls of the barn and small stable.

Caldicot Town Council has approved plans for the pub conversion but are opposed to the new properties which would overlook existing houses in Deepweir.

Neighbouring properties in the Deepweir area have objected to the plans citing plots six and seven would overlook into gardens and would impact on their privacy.

Councillor Tony Easson, member for Dewstow, has opposed the proposals stating the proposed brick build semi-detached property is out of character with the listed building and raised the issue of the sewer line which has previously caused problems and will be used by both the pub and the Deepweir properties.

The application will be considered by the planning committee on May 6 at 2pm in County Hall, Rhadyr, near Usk.

At the time of the pub closing, it was reported this was due to failing to stave off the effects of falling trade, competition from other pubs and the effects of the smoking ban.

Speaking at the time, former landlord Mike Rice said: “It’s really sad, an end of an era as far as I’m concerned.”