Planning applications for the future of the historic Leopard Hotel in Burslem have now been registered after the property owner supplied additional information requested by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
The applications relate to the Grade II-listed building on Market Street, which was badly damaged by fire in January 2022. Registration means the proposals can now move through the formal planning process and residents are able to examine the documents and submit comments.
Planning references for the Leopard Hotel
The applications can be found through the council’s planning search using references 26/FUL/00566 and 26/LBC/00567. Registration does not mean that planning permission has been granted; the proposals still have to be assessed before a decision is made.
Residents can search for the applications and find guidance on commenting through Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
Council says pressure will continue
Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration, said: “People in Burslem have walked past the Leopard every day since the fire, and they have watched a building that is part of their town’s story get worse. They are right to be fed up, and so am I.”
The council says it has continued to press the owner for progress because of the building’s condition and importance to Burslem town centre. It will now consider the submitted material through the usual planning and listed-building consent processes.
A building with national historic connections
The Leopard is one of Burslem’s best-known historic buildings. It is associated with a 1765 meeting attended by figures including Josiah Wedgwood, Thomas Bentley, Erasmus Darwin and James Brindley during work connected with the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Its future has remained a major concern for residents since the fire. The registered applications are the latest stage in a long-running effort to secure the site and establish a viable route for its repair and reuse.
Anyone commenting should refer to the published planning documents and use the official application references. Comments submitted during the consultation will form part of the council’s consideration of the proposals.