Plans to demolish an empty pub repeatedly hit by vandals have been rejected.
Developers wanted to knock down the former Horseshoe Inn, in Skelmersdale , to make way for housing but their efforts were thwarted by the council’s planning department.
According to the planning application, the Liverpool Road building has failed to attract a buyer willing to reopen it as pub and, after being repeatedly targeted by vandals, now lies in a semi-derelict state.
Security fences currently lie around the building, which dates back to the 19th century.
The application stated: “It has been the owner’s main priority to retain the building for A4 class use (drinking establishment) and has potential buyers and rental clients on this basis. There has been no interest received.
“There have been parties interested in converting the building for other uses but the offers have never materialised.
“Due to break-ins to the pub since its closure it has been badly vandalised, damaged and important items stolen.
“So much so that it has effectively made the building unfeasible to convert or refurbish from a monetary standpoint.”
But planning officers were not convinced by this assessment and a report outlining the reasons for rejecting the plans states that the application fails to fully justify the loss of character on the area which would be caused by demolishing the historic pub. Concerns were also raised over the impact on wildlife on the site.
The report, complied by one of the council’s case officers, states: “The proposal would result in the complete loss of the heritage asset however the submission has not been accompanied by any historical assessment of the building or commentary on the impacts of its total loss on the character of the area.
“The submission also fails to provide details of how land would be remediated following the demolition of the building, neither is there a scheme for redevelopment of the site.”
Permission had already been granted to build two houses on land next to the pub and it was anticipated that more would be built in its place after demolition.
The pub was attacked by arsonists last year when a fire was started in a disused portable building at the rear of a building.
Lancashire’s police and fire services launched a joint investigation into the blaze, which happened on the evening on March 14, 2018, but no arrests were ever made.
