The owners of an iconic 19th Century Colne building are to meet with Pendle Council planning bosses after dozens of listed status stone flags were torn up.
Flags forming the entire front yard area of the Grade II listed Old School House in Exchange Street were ripped up in late June.
Having written to the owners of the building, it’s become apparent that they made a genuine mistake in their removal of the stone flags
Neil Watson, Pendle Council
The flags have since been sold to a stone merchants in Bridge Street according to the council.
Pendle Council Planning and Building Control Manager Neil Watson was due to meet with the site’s owners this week to establish what could be done to remedy the situation, which he said had occurred in error.
Mr Watson said: “Having written to the owners of the building, it’s become apparent that they made a genuine mistake in their removal of the stone flags.
“They’ve been co-operating with us fully and have shown a willingness to put things right as soon as possible.”
After being derelict for more than a decade, the dilapidated site was taken over by the Colne Mosques’ Association in April last year with a view to creating a mosque and community facility.
The deal was welcomed by councillors and the Waterside Neighbourhood Action Group as preventing an important part of the local heritage from falling into disrepair and decay. The building, which was opened in 1844, was originally Colne Central School and later housed St Bartholomew’s Sunday school.
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