Farm building demolition row (From Warrington Guardian)

Farm building demolition row

PLANNING officers from Vale Royal Borough Council are recommending enforcement action be taken against the owner of a farm building in Sproston for carrying out an "unacceptable amount of demolition" to his property.

An inspection by the authority's building and planning enforcement officers revealed that unauthorised demolition had occurred at Mooresbarrow Farm in Brereton Lane.

At a Vale Royal planning committee meeting on Monday night, it was reported that approximately 18m of the first floor and 7.5m of the ground floor had been removed from part of the building, exceeding that allowed.

And in a report by the head of planning and building control services, a spokesman said: "The site lies within open countryside where there is a general presumption against new development.

"It became apparent to our officers that unapproved demolition had occurred. It is therefore recommended that enforcement action be instigated, as if re-building were to be allowed, it would in effect, result in a new building in open countryside which would be contrary to the council's policies."

But members of the planning committee agreed to defer instigating enforcement action until a site visit had been carried out at the former agricultural building.

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