Demolition plan for nature reserve building
A nature reserve on the outskirts of Wolverhampton has been given the go-ahead to demolish a former information centre building within its surrounding environment.
The structure at the Gorge in Lanesfield has been subjected to repeated vandal attacks and incidents of anti-social behaviour for a considerable period of time, leading to it becoming unsafe.
In recent months the two-storey brick building, which has rendering to its external walls in part, has also become fire-damaged in further attacks.
Planning bosses agreed to the demolition this week, after the council’s asset manager Luke Dove made an application for the property to be pulled down.
Prior to the demolition work, possible asbestos may need to be removed from the building, although this is as yet undetected.
Further checks also need to be conducted in order to detect any disused mineshafts on the site.
Once the property has been razed, the ground will be made safe and graded before being covered in top soil. An existing drive will also receive some maintenance work and any spoil materials will be removed.
The council has engaged a landscape architect and tree surgeon to review pruning along the path, which provides access to the building.
