Beer garden revamp must retain trees

A prominent Hereford pub has been given the go-ahead to revamp its beer garden.

But The Monument, a large free-standing pub on Whitecross Road, has been told it will have to retain its mature conifer trees, and to install bird boxes to ensure the plan results in “biodiversity net gain”.

The Greene King-owned pub had originally applied to fell the trees, numbering a dozen on the original plan.

But this was objected to by four residents, who said the trees served both as habitat and as screening from neighbouring properties.

“We have six or more species of birds that roost in the trees, also pipistrelle bats in the evening,” Pauline Kilburn, a near neighbour, said.

Agent for the pub Rebecca Groves confirmed that all the trees would now be retained.

“Following discussions with planning officers, it was agreed that they could be pruned, with council approval,” she said.

The pub also proposed installing a new roofed pergola and paving within the beer garden as well as new pergolas either side of its main entrance, as well as replacing the current outdoor “shed bar” and the picket fencing around the garden.

The planning officer’s report said the design of the garden pergola (which it twice refers to as a “pagoda”) “would not appear alien or out of place, or have an adverse impact upon the townscape”.

Nor had the council’s environmental health officer raised concerns about any additional noise, he noted.