A fresh planning application aims to transform the disused car park of a former Worcestershire pub into a new residential development. The proposal seeks to build four dormer bungalows on the land that once served The Coventry Arms in the village of Upton Snodsbury.
From Tarmac to Homes: The Latest Proposal
The site, described in planning documents as "a large expanse of tarmac," has been unused since the pub itself closed in 2017. Developer Ascan Building Ltd has now put forward a scheme for the car park, following earlier permission granted to convert the main pub building into a four-bedroom house and a separate two-bedroom bungalow.
The new plans involve arranging the four proposed bungalows in a crescent shape, facing the A422 Worcester Road. Each property would come with two parking spaces and a garage.
A History of Applications and a Focus on Brownfield Land
The future of The Coventry Arms site has been the subject of several planning bids over recent years. A contentious application to construct 11 affordable homes was dropped after local opposition. In 2023, a scheme to convert the pub into one large home and build five new houses was approved but later deemed not financially viable.
The current developer emphasises the brownfield status of the car park, arguing the plan promotes the efficient reuse of previously developed land in a sustainable location. They state the development will improve the vacant site "visually" and "environmentally" by replacing impermeable hard-standing with soft landscaping.
Council Decision and Local Impact
Wychavon District Council, which supported the conversion of the pub building earlier in the summer of 2025, will now consider this separate application for the car park. The developer's submission claims the four high-quality dwellings will add to local housing supply and provide economic, social, and environmental benefits by making efficient use of an unattractive, vacant plot.
The outcome of this latest proposal will determine the final chapter for the entire Coventry Arms site, which has been a focal point for development discussions in Upton Snodsbury for nearly a decade.
