Council prepares Round Tower restoration bid

CHESHIRE West and Chester Council has started preparing the listed building consent application to rebuild the Round Tower near Northwich which was demolished by a car earlier in the month.

The council said it will consult English Heritage on the application which will be decided by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles.

The Gothic-style gate lodge to the former Vale Royal New Park was situated in the middle of the A556 in Sandiway.

Ward Councillor John Grimshaw said: “The council intends to use specialist heritage contractors to carry out the re-instatement.

“Our application, which should be submitted for consideration by mid-February, will have to include a full description of the original building, our plans for reconstruction and the traditional methods and materials to be used – including the reuse of as much original fabric as possible.

“We know that the collision has caused damage to some of the sandstone and one of the first jobs our conservation officers will have, is to ascertain which sections will have to be replaced when the building is re-instated.”l the car away from the building it caused further collapse and contractors had advised removing the stonework down to a stable structure.”