Deadline passes for owners to rebuild Punch Bowl Inn in Hurst Green

The Punch Bowl Inn, on Longridge Road, was razed to the ground unlawfully by Donelan Trading Ltd in June 2021.

Last year, five people were fined and told to rebuild the grade II listed pub within a year.

The council said the owners have had “ample time” to restore or start restoring the site, which they have failed to do before the deadline, which was midnight on Sunday (March 3).

A spokesperson for the council said legal action “is now on the table”.

Andrew Donelan (L) and Nicola Donelan (R) leaving Blackburn Magistrates Court (Image: NQ)

Ribble Valley Council leader Stephen Atkinson said: “The Planning Inspectorate roundly dismissed an appeal by the owners of the Punch Bowl against our enforcement notice compelling them to restore the site to its former state.

“They have had ample time to restore or start restoring the building and we have been in constant contact with their representatives, and offered them every assistance within our remit, but to no avail.

“If the owners of the Punch Bowl think we are going to let them demolish the building and walk away, they can think again.

“We will not hesitate to act against anyone undertaking works on listed buildings unlawfully and all options regarding the Punch Bowl are now on the table, including legal action.”

The company, Donelan Trading Limited, which is operated by Andrew and Nicola Donelan, was fined £12,000, ordered to pay a contribution to the prosecution of £20,000 and a surcharge of £1,200.

Donelan Trading Limited estimated a cost of £1.5million to rebuild the site to its original specifications.

The company is required to go through the rubble with experts and work out what there is and what is reusable.

Of that, they must submit what they determine to be reusable to the council.

Donelan Trading had submitted various plans to the council before 2021, which were refused.

In 2023, plans were submitted to rebuild the pub as a holiday let and the council “declined to determine” the submitted application.

It said to approve the plans would “regularise the unauthorised demolition of the original public house”.

It said: “The erection of the current development on this site, for which you seek planning permission for, is only possible… as a result of the unauthorised demolition of the original public house.

“The submitted planning application would, therefore, if approved, have the effect of regularising the unauthorised demolition of the original public house, which is the breach of planning control stated in the enforcement notice.

"I must therefore inform you...  the council [has] resolved to decline to determine the submitted application."