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Plans have been revealed to convert the Loose Goose into two houses of multiple occupancies and three apartments after the coronavirus pandemic was the ‘final straw’ for business, according to documents submitted to Calderdale Council.

Tammy Potter, through agent drawmyextension.co.uk, has applied to convert the pub – formerly known as the Long Chimney – at West Street, into homes.

In recent years a double whammy of flooding and then the Covid-19 pandemic mean it is no longer viable to run the premises, which were renamed in 2017, as a pub, says the applicant.

Changes are planned for the Loose Goose, Sowerby Bridge, if planning permission is given. Picture: Google

A supporting statement says: “The public house, as a business, has struggled just like many other public houses that have been in decline over the past two decades.

“Due to its location, with lack of parking and any external seating area, there is very little for scope to increase trade.

“The owner has refurbished the first floor to bring the rooms to allow for sleeping accommodation but the profits from this side of the business, are not paying back the cost of the refurbishment and do not cover the losses from the public house trade.

“Closures required for flooding damage to the property did not help matters and the final straw has been Covid 19 and its impact on the business.”

The former New Inn and Long Chimney in Sowerby Bridge was renamed and reopened as the Loose Goose in 2017.

If permitted, the building will be converted into two ground floor apartments with their own access, with a five-bedroom house of multiple occupancy on the first floor and a seven-bedroom house of multiple occupancy on the second floor.

Finally, the third floor will remain as a three-bedroom apartment, for which there is already existing permission.

The two houses of multiple occupancy and third floor apartment would share an access at the side of the building, says the applicant.

The building will be managed by a single owner and a management plan will be put in place to deal with and flooding and flooding alerts issued by the Government.

“Without the proposed change of use and proposed investment, we fail to see how it will be possible for the building to survive,” say the supporting evidence statements.

The application – number 23/00253/COU – can be viewed via the council’s planning portal.

Struggling Sowerby Bridge pub hit by Covid and floods could be turned into homes

The building will be managed by a single owner and a management plan will be put in place to deal with and flooding and flooding alerts issued by the Government.