Former pub to be demolished for 26 new flats

A former pub that has lain empty on a heritage site for more than 10 years is set to be demolished.

The Old Roan Inn pub, on Copy Lane, in Aintree, served its last pint in 2013 but the building has fallen into a "complete state of disrepair", according to a heritage statement.

It has left Sefton Council with no “no viable alternative” other than to knock down and rebuild to make way for a new 26-apartment housing block.

Plans were approved at a planning meeting at Bootle Town Hall on Wednesday.

Proposed apartments will be over three floors and will comprise of 11 one-bed units and 15 two-bed units, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) says.

The public house first opened its doors in 1908 and the building is classed as a non-designated heritage asset (NDHA).

It is considered to be a local landmark with a rich history but has deteriorated into a state of disrepair since closing for business.

While the pub’s closure divided opinion at the time, the building also continued to attract controversy over its dilapidated condition with the then landlord, Commercial Realty Ltd, fined over £16,000 in 2020 for failing to carry out remedial works.

It was acquired by 2M Developments Ltd in 2021, which initially applied to Sefton Council for permission to knock down the building and replace it with a three to four-storey apartment block, with a play area and garden on its roof.

However, after a follow-up assessment, the plans were altered to a three-storey build and a new application submitted.

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