Express & Star

Derelict fire-hit pub to finally be demolished after sitting empty for 13 years

A derelict pub which was set on fire last year will finally be demolished to make way for seven new homes – after sitting empty for more than a decade.

Published
Last updated
The Three Crowns Inn in July 2019

The former Three Crowns Inn, on Sutton Road, Walsall, was set alight in March 2019, just hours after planning permission was granted to demolish the building.

A total of 30 firefighters tackled the severe blaze at its height, which took more than three hours to completely extinguish.

The pub has sat empty since it closed in 2007 and has been neglected since the fire.

But this month planning permission for the building to be demolished was finally granted.

Work can now go ahead on building the seven new detached five-bedroom homes.

Leader of Walsall Council, and also ward councillor for Pheasey Park Farm, Mike Bird said the delay was because of negotiations being held with the land owners about keeping some of the green belt land back for nature conservation.

He said: "I think the residents who live in the vicinity, and who have questioned when things are going to get moving, will be pleased to know that the application to demolish the site has been approved.

"We hope now that demolition will happen as quickly as possible."

He added: "The pub is in a very sorry state at the moment. There has been quite a delay but it was due to ecological reasons. We hope things will get moving very quickly now.

"We have been negotiating with the land owners about some of the land behind the site, about keeping it as a nature conservation area, but this has now been solved."

The decision was originally delayed a year ago when the application first went to Walsall Council's planning committee, because the land is greenbelt and the application had to be referred to the government.

Councillor Bird said he hoped demolition might take place in a matter of weeks.

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.