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Builders told to stop unauthorised demolition work

BBC A drone image showing a row of properties - the aerial shot shows that two buildings in the middle of the terraced street have been demolished. Scaffolding covers the front of where the buildings were.BBC
Demolition work has been carried out on properties in a conservation area in Earlsdon, Coventry, without permission

Builders have been forced to stop work on a row of shops in a conservation area after demolition work was carried out without permission.

The work was taking place at 34-36 Earlsdon Street in the Earlsdon suburb of Coventry.

Coventry City Council intervened by serving a temporary stop notice on Wednesday, prohibiting more work from taking place. The order lasts until late Feburary.

People on social media have called the demolition "disgraceful" and "beyond appalling", with some calling for the properties to be rebuilt "brick by brick."

A row of shops, with white scaffolding covering two buildings in the middle. There is a gap between the buildings showing demolition work has taken place on the two in the middle.
The council's stop order says there has been "unauthorised development and/or demolition" in the conservation area

Scaffolding and hoardings currently cover 34-36 Earlsdon Street, with gaps in the scaffolding showing an empty space where the first floors should be.

It is unclear how much of the ground floors have been affected.

The stop order states the council believes there has been "unauthorised development and/or demolition" in the conservation area.

It stresses the site is prominent in the historic street and planning permission has not been given for the "substantial" work so far.

The notice is also being served to avoid further serious impacts on the protected zone, it adds.

A view from behind the properties, showing that demolition work has taken place. A circular saw is seen in a block of concrete, with bricks to the side of it.
A view from behind the properties shows the extent of the demolition, with a saw stuck in concrete showing the halted work

The properties, once home to a branch of NatWest, are in the Earlsdon conservation area which was designated two years ago.

This means any demolition work must have special conservation planning permission. Other changes that might usually be allowed could also need approval.

Plans for a second storey over an extension at the back of the building were approved on appeal last year, but nothing in the documents for the scheme refers to demolition work at the front of the building.

The appeal decision also highlights that the extension would not be visible from the street.

Pieces of paper are pinned on a grey backdrop with gold pushpins. The papers have Coventry City Council's logo on and have the details of a temporary stop notice typed out on them.
Coventry City Council served a temporary stop notice on New Year's Day, prohibiting more work from taking place

Councillor Ant Tucker called the demolition work a "shocking and sudden development" in a social media post.

Sharing his response to the council, he said the works appear to "far surpass" plans for the site and called for an immediate visit by officers.

"Given the central importance of Earlsdon's high street to our community, immediate intervention is needed," he added.

A Coventry council spokesperson said: "We can confirm the works at 34-36 Earlsdon High Street did not have planning permission. As a result, our Planning Enforcement Team served a Temporary Stop Notice on 1 January 2025 and we will investigate in line with our normal procedures."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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