Historic Newport hotel could be taken over by council

The Royal Victoria Hotel in Newport closed in 2015

A 193-year-old hotel, covered in scaffolding after falling into disrepair since it closed, could be bought by the local authority.

Telford and Wrekin Council has proposed using a compulsory purchase order to take ownership of the Royal Victoria Hotel in Newport, Shropshire.

It said it wanted to preserve the listed building, which closed in 2015.

Owner, Roger Brock, said he would "rigorously defend" attempts to buy the hotel by compulsory purchase.

The Grade II-listed hotel was built in 1830 and takes it name from a visit by the then Princess Victoria of Kent, later Queen Victoria.

The building, in the centre of the town operated as a hotel, bar and restaurant until its closure.

Planning permission for the building to be converted into flats was granted, but the work was not completed.

A year ago a court ordered the owner to erect scaffolding because of safety concerns.

Scaffolding now covers the 193-year-old building

The council has carried out maintenance work itself in March and October.

Deputy leader Richard Overton said the authority was "hugely disappointed that the site was mothballed".

He said the council now had no alternative but to apply for the compulsory purchase, in order to "secure the building, protect it for the future and ensure public safety".

But Mr Brock, said his firm had issued the local authority with a purchase order to buy the building at a certain price on 1 November, because it had refused to withdraw the repair notice.

He said the council had refused his application for demolition of the site.

"They've gone to the extent of issuing this repair notice which requires me to replace chimneys, and fireplaces that haven't been in situ for I don't know, maybe 100 years," he said.

He added he had also given the council confirmation of funding for the project, to show he was "in a position to complete the development".

Telford and Wrekin Council have been approached for comment on Mr Brock's claims.

This news was partially gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations.