BRITISH BEER AND PUB ASSOCIATION AND CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL

That this House condemns the decision of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) to pursue judicial review against Cambridge City Council's supplementary planning policy for pubs despite being introduced by a democratically-elected council; dismisses thinly veiled attempts by the BBPA to justify its actions as benefiting pubs when Cambridge City Council's policy will help protect viable local pubs; notes that Cambridge City Council has done what the Government envisaged in the Localism Bill and built on the National Planning Policy Framework with locally tailored planning policies; recognises that the planning system allows the demolition of freestanding pubs and the conversion of pubs to a number of different uses without planning permission, which means that BBPA members and others are selling viable, wanted pubs for non-pub use without the community having a say; believes that the actions of the BBPA are a further example that it serves the interests of property-owning pub companies and big pub-owning brewing companies and that it no longer represents the British brewing industry nor does it represent pubs, licensees and customers; commends Cambridge City Council's intention to defend the policy against the BBPA; further notes that the Local Services (Planning) Bill would provide much needed protection for local pubs; and calls on the Government to close the loophole in planning policy that allow pubs to be converted or demolished without planning permission so that all changes of use or demolitions of a pub go through the planning process, to allow the local community to have a say and defend local pubs.