Forest of Dean council issues order to buy derelict Rising Sun pub

A compulsory purchase order has been served on the owners of a derelict pub, which the local community wants to be brought back into use.

The Rising Sun in Woodcroft, in the Forest of Dean, was shut in 2011 and sold to Worthy Developments which wanted to turn it into housing.

However, planning permission was subsequently refused.

Worthy Developments has until 18 December to raise any objections to the order served by the district council.

In the notice, Forest of Dean District Council said it had "no option other than to exercise its powers of compulsory purchase to secure a positive outcome in this matter".

It added: "The building is currently in a very poor state of repair and will only deteriorate further.

"The local community has endured the sight of this prominent building at a main gateway to the village deteriorating over time whilst also being deprived of an asset for the local community".

Save Our Sun said it had already received over £230,000 in pledges to buy the derelict pub from the council.

Chair of the group Michelle Hayes said she was "highly delighted" the authority had "recognised the importance of having a community facility".