The owner of the former Raven Hotel in Droitwich Spa has been warned to take urgent steps to protect the building or face legal action.
Wychavon has written to the owner of the building giving them seven days to confirm when damage to the roof will be repaired and fencing installed to secure the site.
If a satisfactory response is not received by the deadline, the council has warned they may use their legal powers to force the owner to carry out the work.
The move follows public concerns not enough is being done to prevent people vandalising the 16th Century Grade II listed building. Recent break-ins have resulted in tiles being removed from the roof which mean parts of the building are now exposed to the weather. West Mercia Police has also warned the owner they need to do more to prevent trespass and anti-social behaviour at the site or they will also be taking legal action.
In response, the owner has informed Wychavon CCTV cameras and an alarm system are being installed to improve security. But the council has now told them the measures do not go far enough.
Cllr Richard Morris, Executive Board Member for Economic Growth and Tourism on Wychavon District Council, added: “For some time myself, fellow local councillors and Wychavon officers have been applying pressure to ensure the building is properly protected while we wait for development to start. Unfortunately, assurances we have been given to date have not been backed up by action, so we have had to take this next step. I hope now we will see a positive response from the owner and the right protection measures put in place to prevent further damage and the necessary repairs carried out as a matter of urgency.”
Outline permission was agreed in 2022 to allow the partial demolition, repair, refurbishment and conversion of the building for a residential, hospitality and leisure scheme. Work could not start until a section 106 agreement detailing the required infrastructure and phasing of the project was agreed, and other issues highlighted in the outline proposal were dealt with.
Those issues have now been resolved and the S106 agreement signed, allowing the owner to get on with preparing for development work to start.
The historic parts of the building, which date from the 15th to the 19th Century, will be kept and repaired, refurbished and extended. Work to detail original beams and features in the listed part of the building has already been carried out.
Hereford based heritage and conservation specialists Montez Architecture is working with Wychavon’s heritage team to ensure the project is delivered in a way that protects and enhances the character of the building. The heritage team are already visiting the site to ensure the building is properly maintained.
Cllr Morris added: “We have all been extremely annoyed and frustrated by how long this development has taken. Unfortunately, the process has been complicated and delayed due to the world situation and ongoing viability of the project.
“But the granting of full planning permission is a significant step forward that will allow the owner to start planning for work to start in earnest. We will continue to push for the earliest possible start date to the development, as this is the best way to secure the future of this iconic building, which means so much to the people of Droitwich Spa and is a key part of the town centre investment prospectus.”
Update: We have received a formal response to the letter we sent. We are now considering its contents before we decide what to do next. We will keep people updated.
