Punch Bowl Inn: Surveys under way at site of illegally demolished pub

Surveys of building materials have begun at the site where an 18th Century pub is due to be rebuilt after it was illegally demolished.

The Punch Bowl Inn in Hurst Green, Lancashire, was bulldozed by Donelan Trading Ltd after the group ignored a council decision in June 2021.

Five people were fined more than £20,000 in March for their role in knocking down the Grade II-listed building.

The owners were ordered to rebuild it.

Ribble Valley Borough Council has been overseeing surveys of materials left at the site to see what can be reused, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Lyndsey Hayes, the authority's head of development management and building control, inspected the site in July.

In a subsequent letter to planning agents, she said she was "satisfied" two piles of materials were not suitable for reuse and could be removed, but clear photographic records must be submitted of both piles before the local planning authority could agree to removal.

She said discussions were "ongoing" regarding the suitability of the other materials on the site.

"Following the conclusion of those discussions, the local planning authority will then be in a position to issue its final decision," she added.

The Punch Bowl Inn owners and contractor Percliff were ordered to pay a range of fines and costs at Blackburn Magistrates Court by district judge Alexander Boyd, who said the company was aware the demolition of the building was a criminal offence when it took place.

A council spokesman confirmed reconstruction had not started at the site yet but the owners were "currently in dialogue with us regarding an ongoing survey to identify which materials from the demolished building may be reusable".

He added: "If the owners of the site fail to meet their obligations, all options will be considered, including prosecution."

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]