A CONTROVERSIAL care home scheme on the site of a pub has remained in City of York Council's long-term plans despite being refused permission - because that decision has been appealed.

Crown Care had wanted to build a 74-bed care home on the site of the Carlton Tavern pub in Acomb, but in December the city council’s planning committee refused it planning permission. That followed a long campaign from neighbours who wanted to save the Victorian building from demolition.

It has now emerged that the site’s 74 beds are still being included in long term plans to provide enough care home beds for the city - because an appeal has been lodged against the planning refusal.

In documents published ahead of a separate decision about the future of council-owned Morrell House care home, council staff have produced a list of care homes and care complexes that could provide new beds in coming years - including “Carlton Tavern Care Home - 74 beds” and five others that are subject to planning.

Simultaneously, a statement issued by the council said the authority is making good progress on a city wide overhaul of older people’s accommodation. It says York is expected to have 550 new residential and nursing care beds by 2020 - a figure that includes the Carlton Tavern’s 74 beds.

However, pub company Marton’s has revealed that while the pub is currently open for “business as usual”, it understands care firm Crown Care is submitting another proposal for the site.

Crown Care, which was behind the earlier scheme, was not available for comment.

Meanwhile Acomb resident Louise Ennis, who was part of the campaign to save the Carlton Tavern, said: “I am surprised to see the Carlton Tavern listed as a ‘care home’ contributing to older persons’ accommodation quotas in an updated City of York Council document.

“The application for a new build care home to replace the Victorian Carlton Tavern building was rejected by the planning committee back in December.”

However, a city council spokesman said the documents made it clear that the potential new care beds at the Carlton Tavern are subject to planning permission.

He added: “The applicant to build a care home on this site has, last month, submitted an appeal against the decision to refuse consent for construction of a care home on the Carlton Tavern site. This means that the site remains a potential part of the older persons’ accommodation programme.”

The care home planning application was approved in October last year, before complaints prompted the council to review the decision in December.