Calderdale village pub visited by Coldplay’s Chris Martin can be made into housing

Stainland’s Duke of York Inn, which was visited by the international star in August 2025, can now be converted into three flats following Calderdale Council’s approval of a planning application.

The application sought permission to convert the former pub into a one-bed flat and two two-bed flats.

The two-storey building is located within Stainland Conservation Area, on Stainland Road, and currently comprises the former pub on the ground floor and a three-bed flat above.

Three parking spaces to the front cobbled area were proposed as part of the application, and no physical external alterations were proposed.

A total of 35 letters of objection to the application were received, and Stainland and District Parish Council objected on the grounds that the application provided “little evidence to justify loss of the community facility.”

As part of the application, a viability assessment was submitted, which concluded that the pub was no longer financially viable because of a combination of “structural trading disadvantages” and “wider economic pressures affecting the hospitality sector.”

The viability assessment argued that “reasonable efforts” had been made to retain the building’s use as a pub.

It said alternative community uses — including a café, restaurant, retail use, community hub, events venue and community ownership — had been considered but had been discounted on the basis of viability, market demand, competition and the availability of existing facilities within the locality.

The assessment concluded that converting the pub into residential use would be the “most sustainable long-term use of the building.”

It added that during the marketing period, no community organisation expressed a formal interest in taking on the pub.

This assessment was assessed by the Spatial Planning team, which did not object to it.

The pub closed on July 30, 2025, but was taken on by a subsequent tenant.

It closed again, however, on September 1, after the pub had continued to run at a “significant loss.”

In a Planning Committee meeting held on Tuesday, October 20, councillors voted to agree with planning officers’ recommendation and the application was approved.