CONTROVERSIAL plans to build bungalows on the site of a bulldozed York pub have been given the go-ahead.

The White Rose, in Acomb, was demolished at the end of last year after more than half-a-century as a pub, despite calls being made for it to be turned into a community centre.

The building’s owners. Admiral Taverns, closed the pub in October 2009, with a planning application subsequently being made to City of York Council by West Yorkshire property developer Neil Farrar to replace it with six semi-detached bungalows.

He said the scheme would give the Cornlands Road site a boost after vandalism attacks led to it becoming an eyesore, with local councillor Steve Galloway saying the bungalows would provide much-needed specialist accommodation.

However, the York branch of the beer-lovers’ group Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), which included the White Rose in its historic pub guides, asked for the demolition to be blocked while the possibility of using the site as a base for community organisations was investigated further.

Following the pub’s closure, Caroline Flint, shadow secretary of state for communities and local government, visited the site last October after local Labour councillors backed the community centre idea.

But the bungalow plans have now been approved by the council, with a design and access statement submitted to the authority by Mr Farrar’s planning agent Terry Brightmore, of Castleford-based Building Design (UK) Ltd. It said: “Discussions were held with some of the local residents, a large percentage of which were in favour of redevelopment of the site for residential use because of the pub’s deteriorating reputation.

“Some would like to see it retained, providing it could be properly cleaned up and its use properly controlled.” He also said the scheme would include landscaping work, garages and wheelchair access as well as crime prevention measures and new “crossover” points for residents from nearby roads.

At the time of the White Rose’s closure, Admiral Taverns said it did not fit in with the company’s pub portfolio, leading to the company deciding to sell the site.