Reopening Baconsthorpe castle

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24945221.english-heritage-say-baconsthorpe-castle-may-reopen-summer/

A new castle for me...

[Jim Webster]

Reading the article, it's amazing it's lasted so long!
Who needs an attacking army, when the owner knocks bits down to sell off the rubble

[Nick Harbud]

Something similar is happening with the Grade 2 listd building next door to me.... 

[Imperial Dave]

hopefully grade 2 listed people arent included....

[Nick Harbud]

No, this is a depressingly common phenomenom around these parts. 

In this particular case it appears to have started with a demand from the local council to restore the wrought iron railings that were removed and melted down during WW2.  This being a significant expense that the owners wished to avoid, they proceeded to submit multiple planning applications, incorporating new iron railings together with outrageous development proposals that were, unsurprisingly, rejected.  At one point, there was talk of turning the building into a pole-dancing academy.

Anyway, the council planning department eventually got wise to this form of procrastination and lawyers were being briefed.  Currently, the building is not only empty, but also unsecured, leading to its occupation by vagrants, drug users and sundry other undesirables.  It has received zero maintainance in the last 10 years.  It would appear that the owners intend it to fall down of its own accord, at which point they can bulldoze the remains and put up some ghastly carbuncle that will make them pots of money.  This has already happened with a supermarket not far away that was previously a Grade 2 listed traditional pub.