Owners who bulldozed pub given rebuild plan deadline

The owners of a historic Lancashire pub that was illegally demolished have been given until December to find an expert to help rebuild it.

Donelan Trading Limited was ordered to rebuild the Punch Bowl Inn in Hurst Green to its original plan, but it has so far failed to happen and Ribble Valley council took them to the High Court.

A judge has now given them until 19 December to find an expert to act as the principal designer.

Nicola Hopkins, the council’s director of economic development and planning, said the authority was determined to see the 18th Century pub rebuilt.

The pub was bulldozed in June 2021 and five people were later fined more than £20,000 for their role in knocking down the Grade II-listed building.

The owners had argued they were worried the building had become unsafe and they believed it had become worse over the years and had been broken into and targeted by arsonists.

They have since been ordered to rebuild it to its original plan based on architectural records.

Ms Hopkins told BBC Radio Lancashire the council had worked with the company to try to speed up the process.

She said: "We've tried to find solutions and to date we've not been successful which led to us taking [them] to court and seeking an injunction."

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