Hillingdon Council has refused plans for a new budget supermarket on the site of a historic listed building in Ruislip.
The plans, which were submitted in February 2025, proposed to demolish The Orchard Inn on Ickenham Road in order to build a new Lidl shop. The former pub has been closed since 2023.
During the Second World War, The Orchard became the favourite watering hole, restaurant and dancefloor for many Polish airmen based at nearby RAF Northolt.
More than 1,300 people signed a petition objecting to the proposed development, and Hillingdon Council also received over 660 objections. There were 35 representations in favour of the plans.
Hillingdon Council refused the application on Friday, June 13.
In their decision notice, the reasons given included an inappropriate net loss of biodiversity, and that the proposed development would contribute to unacceptable pollutant emissions.
The notice also states: “The planning application has failed to demonstrate… that there is no realistic prospect of the locally listed building being brought back into use as a public house in the future.”
Photo credit: Des Blenkinsop
0 Comments