THIEVES stole more than £10,000 worth of slate roof tiles from an arson-hit Victorian ma-nor house which is due to be developed.

Plans to regenerate Owl Hall have been submitted to Hyndburn Council and are due to be discussed next week but, in the meantime, thieves have stolen more than 5,000 tiles from the derelict property.

The 140-year-old hall, off Plantation Road, Accrington, and its neighbouring cottage have been a target for vandals and arsonists in recent years.

The tiles from the surviving roof were taken earlier this week.

In October last year firefighters spent more than 20 hours tackling a blaze at the property. The roof of the hall, built by the Hargreaves family, suffered 75 per cent damage.

Attempts have been made over several years to regen-erate the hall but the planning committee has rejected development prop-osals on various grounds, such as the scale of proposals.

The latest application from developer Harriet Homes Ltd proposes the hall and the cottage be refurbished to form two properties and three additional ones be built. The plans also include landscaping and parking. Previously plans had been submitted for nine dwellings then seven, both of which were rejected.

So far 46 letters of objection have been received by the council.

Coun Paul Barton said: “I’m here to fight the residents corner. They want the hall to be developed and no additional buildings to be put into the grounds because there is always the possibly to put more in.

“The hall can be seen form the houses in Plantation Road and someone in the area could have seen people stealing the slates.

“There is an ugly fence around the hall which a lot of people have commented about.”

Police are investigating the theft and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 0845 1 25 35 45 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.