Derelict landmark pub to be demolished

The pub, in Savile Road, has been empty since 2009

Planning permission has been granted to demolish a derelict landmark pub in Castleford.

Wakefield Council has given the go-ahead for the Crimea Tavern to be bulldozed as part of a major regeneration project.

The pub, in Savile Road, has been a target for anti-social behaviour and vandalism since it closed in 2009.

The council bought the building for £1.2m last year in a bid to speed up a £23m revamp planned for the town.

A planning application submitted in September also included demolishing an empty house next to the former pub, both of which were built in the early 1900s though neither are listed.

A planning officer’s report said: “The building is in a poor state of repair and has been for a long period of time.

“It does not have any significant historic or architectural merit.

“The site is located in a prominent position and as such, it is considered that the proposal will in fact, given its appearance and state of disrepair, improve the visual appearance of the area.”

The council has secured government funding to renovate buildings and create public spaces next to the River Aire and in the town centre, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Earlier this month, a separate application was made to demolish vacant commercial premises on Savile Road, Bridge Street and Aire Street.

If approved, it will enable infrastructure improvements to be carried out, including rebuilding flood defences.

New pedestrian footways and riverside cycleways are also planned.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.