Merseyside village being transformed as demolition begins on landmark pub with rich history
A Merseyside village is set to be completely transformed as demolition works officially started at the former site of a historic pub.
The building of the Old Roan pub has been the source of much speculation, ever since it closed its doors more than ten years ago, and had become known as a local ‘eyesore’.
The Old Roan, in Copy Lane, in Aintree, Merseyside, first opened its doors in 1908 and the building is considered to be a non-designated heritage asset (NDHA). According to historical records, the Old Roan Inn was documented for the first time in 1798 and subsequently torn down before construction on the current building began in 1890.
The pub in was closed down more than ten years ago and has remained vacant ever since. While the pub’s closure divided opinion at the time, the building has continued to attract controversy over its dilapidated condition, with then landlord Commercial Realty Ltd fined over £16,000 in 2020 for failing to carry out remedial works.
The Old Roan building was acquired by 2M Developments Ltd in 2021 who initially applied to Sefton Council in 2023 for permission to knock down the building and construct a three to four storey apartment block.
However, after a follow up assessment in 2024, the plans were altered to a three storey build and a new application was approved at a planning committee in October last year, subject to conditions.
In an update published in mid-August, the LDRS looked at publicly available information on Sefton Council’s planning portal and found a new planning application adjoined to the previous proposals.
One of the stipulated conditions stated: “No development or site clearance shall commence until a written scheme of investigation for archaeological work has been submitted.”
Adding: “Should human remains, structures or deposits of archaeological interest be uncovered during the fieldwork, the Planning Archaeologist to the LPA will be consulted on the acceptable course of action.”
A long period of inactivity was broken in September when local residents reported sightings of diggers conducting clearance work, and the erection of scaffolding on the Old Roan pub building. It prompted rumours about whether the archaeological work had begun.
Last month, the LDRS reported that a raft of new documents had been uploaded to the development’s dashboard on Sefton Council’s planning portal. These included an update on Condition 3 of the planning application which was detailed in an officer report submitted on November 3.
The report states: “No development shall commence, including any works of demolition, until an appropriate programme of historic building recording and analysis has been undertaken, submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.”
The report added the update: “The applicant has submitted a Historic Building Record version 2. This has been reviewed by the Conservation team and no objections are raised. The details reserved by condition 3 are therefore acceptable.”
It appears the pre-development conditions have been met, and paved the way for demolition work to begin. It seems once complete, the site will then see the construction of a three storey block of residential apartments.
The LDRS has previously attempted to contact the site’s owner, 2M Developments (Old Roan) Ltd and its planning agent.