An award-winning Penkridge pub's bid to keep a marquee for outside diners has been rejected by councillors after it was deemed to be harmful to a village conservation area.

Last year The Star Inn won its battle to keep raised decking and an outdoor seating area – but this month the Market Street venue did not prove victorious when it sought retrospective permission for a marquee.

The pub is located in a conservation area, amongst a number of Listed Buildings.

The pub building is locally-listed and considered a "non-designated heritage asset".

Planning officers at South Staffordshire District Council recommended that retrospective consent for the marquee be refused on the grounds that "retention of the proposed marquee would cause a moderate level of less than substantial harm to the setting of adjacent Grade II listed buildings and the character of the Conservation Area".

A report to the planning committee added: "The retention of the proposed marquee, by reason of its prominent siting within Market Street/Market Place, along with its size, irregular form and appearance and use of fabric material, would be incongruous with the character and appearance of existing development in the street scene and surrounding area."

South Staffordshire District Council received 167 letters of support for retaining the marquee.

There were also six objections, for reasons including noise and disturbance and the marquee not being in keeping with the conservation area.

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Supporters included MP Sir Gavin Williamson.

The marquee's success has helped the pub to hire new staff (image via South Staffordshire District Council)

He said: "The Star Inn has been a huge success for Penkridge – bringing together local residents in a relaxed setting, whilst providing entertainment that enhances the cultural offering in the village.

"Furthermore, the marquee has been utilised by charities such as Brighter Days Rescue with resounding success – raising money for such a vital cause and benefiting the charity's aims.

"In addition, the marquee has allowed the venue to employ an additional five members of staff, which has not just boosted employment, but also assisted small businesses in the aftermath of a very difficult trading period."

There were many supporters at the planning committee meeting too.

Landlady Ally Heath has been given an award by Round Table in recognition of the pub's community work – and in 2023 the venue was named Marston's tenanted and leased pub of the year.

Agent Kerry Walker, who spoke in support of the pub at the meeting, described it as a "highly popular meeting space for the local community".

She added: "The proposal is appropriate in design and has carefully considered the heritage context.

"The size, appearance and siting of the marquee means that only glimpsed views of the marquee are present from key heritage views within the conservation area.

"The marquee acts as a key meeting point for the community and as a celebration space – this helps attract people to the retail centre, which in turn helps to enhance the vitality of Penkridge and the High Street.

"It is well-known that High Street operators, including pubs, are in a precarious trading position currently.

"The marquee provides a hugely important revenue stream because it can be used across all seasons; this helps to secure the long-term vitality of this locally-listed heritage asset."

Last year The Star Inn won its battle to keep raised decking and an outdoor seating area (image via Google Maps)

Ward cllr Sam Harper-Wallis also spoke in support of the pub, but did not take part in the vote.

He said: "This marquee is not a minor addition to the pub, it is a core reason for the pub's current success.

"It provides 60 additional covers, which account for nearly 50% of the total internal capacity.

"Since the introduction of the marquee, the pub has seen trade almost double, allowing the pub to grow its local workforce.

"It also means that the pub can continue to serve as a vital community hub and is viable.

"Crucially, the structure is reversible with anchor bolts, so there is not any actual permanent damage to the heritage asset as it is."

The majority of committee members voted in line with the planning officers' recommendation to refuse permission for the marquee however, with just two voting against.

Cllr Victor Kelly, who voted against refusal, said: "We should support these sort of applications, not knock them back on just a minor incident of a non-designated asset – it's not knocking down walls or reshaping the building and it can be taken down at any time."

But fellow committee member Cllr Val Chapman said: "I'm between a rock and a hard place – the emotional aspect of keeping people in work versus the ugly aperture we've got there that does a disservice to a heritage building.

"I feel they need to back to the drawing board – looking at this there should be a low-level timber structure."

Cllr Rita Heseltine said: "When I first saw the photograph of it, it looked to me as if it had collapsed.

"I think the design is not as we would like it."

Cllr Meg Barrow said: "I think we have to consider heritage laws are very important and it's how you try and work with those laws to keep the buildings we value against a tent hanging on the side.

"It's not the fact of having it, it's the fact of what it looks like and I think that doesn't help the heritage of the building.

"It is a beautiful building – it's being spoiled by this tent on the side."