Council begins work to protect historic Newport hotel
Telford & Wrekin Council will today start urgent works to protect an iconic Grade II Listed building in Newport which has been allowed to fall into disrepair.
The 194-year-old former Royal Victoria Hotel, on St Mary’s Street in Newport is currently privately owned and was granted planning permission for conversion into flats, whilst work initially began the site was mothballed in 2020, leaving the building exposed to the weather, without any protection.
Instead, the building and supporting structures on site have been left to deteriorate. Following the notice directed by the Magistrates in January 2023, to remove the dangers posed by the structures and buildings, the council has continued to carry out works in default of the magistrates’ order.
In July 2023, to preserve and protect the structure of the building the council issued owners Town Centre Properties with repairs notices, which were not complied with, and as a result the Council is pursuing a Compulsory Purchase of the land. In order to address the deterioration of the site, an urgent works notice was served in March 2024; the owner has again failed to take action.
With no actions or works undertaken by the owners, Telford & Wrekin Council has now instructed contractors to carry out these vital repairs, which will start on site next week. It is estimated that the work will take around 13 weeks to complete, and the Council will seek to recover all costs from the owner.
Councillor Richard Overton, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement, said: “Time and again we have tried to work with the owners of the Royal Victoria Hotel, yet time and again they have ignored court orders and legal notices.
“Most recently we served an Urgent Works Notice, in March this year, for work to be carried out to protect the fabric and structure of this Grade II Listed building. Town Centre Properties have failed once again to comply with this, something which they have a track of record of doing. Town Centre properties have failed to safeguard the statutory protected building and have failed to keep this site structures on site safe, putting the public at risk.
“Therefore, we have no option but to carry out these urgent works ourselves and will be recovering the full costs from the owners. Alongside this we are also working to secure a Compulsory Purchase Order on the building, at minimal consideration, to safeguard this listed building’s future.
“We appreciate that these works can cause some disruption, so contractors will work to keep this impact to a minimum and do not anticipate the need for any road closures.”
