The Government has apologised for the delay in responding to the illegal demolition of a historic building in Coventry. Alison McGovern MP, said the case is currently caught in a “significant” national backlog, and admitted it could be 2027 before it is resolved. She made the startling disclosure in response to a letter from Cllr Gary Ridley, the leader of Coventry Conservatives, who has called for action.
Formerly a bank, 34-36 Earlsdon Street sits within the Earlsdon Conservation Area. Under planning law, specific permission was needed before it could be demolished. However, it was torn down over a year ago without consent from Coventry City Council. Although the Council issued an emergency ‘stop notice,’ the developer subsequently appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. It’s nearly eight months since ‘evidence gathering’ was completed in June 2025, and the Secretary of State has still not even appointed an inspector to review the case.
In her letter, the Minister admits that most appeals are resolved within 20-26 weeks, but points to a delay in dealing with enforcement appeals. It's left a heartbroken community to face a "year of silence" regarding the fate of the site.
Commenting on the response, Cllr Gary Ridley said: “While I welcome the Minister’s apology, it offers little comfort to the residents, shoppers, and traders who have faced a year of silence because of this broken system. We were told evidence gathering was finished last summer, yet we are still no closer to a resolution. This was a flagrant breach of planning law and without a robust response what is to stop other developers from doing the exact same thing?”
Hundreds of angry residents signed a petition calling for its rebuilding when it was demolished. And there were comparisons to the destruction of the ‘Crooked House’ pub in Staffordshire. The Coventry Conservative Group support these calls, and want a firm commitment that the building will be restored at the developer’s expense, complete with its original ornate brickwork. They also want to review the Earlsdon Conservation Area to ensure the protection it provides is fit for purpose.
