Chapel demolition costs must be paid by the owner

The owner of Bethel Chapel is responsible for the cost of demolition and the road closure.

That is the message from Powys County Council which has responded to MyNewtown following concerns raised about the state of the building prior to its roof collapsing last week.

The county council said it had two main responsibilities in the cases of derelict buildings. These are the visual aspect and the potential local amenity aspect.

It follows an inspection of the building after Newtown Town Council urged the county council to take enforcement action over the chapel's state of repair.

The roof collapsed on Monday last week resulting in New Road closing until demolition work could be undertaken to make the site safe.

"The recent enforcement investigation from the Local Planning Authority’s perspective considered the alleged impact of the building from a public amenity perspective rather than its structural integrity," said a county council spokesperson.

"The structural condition of the building from a public safety perspective is a separate matter and the responsibility of the Building Control Service.

"In response to the condition of the building, the Building Control service requested the owner of the property to erect security fencing to ensure public safety. The Service has also requested on numerous occasions that the owner undertake repairs to make the property safe.

"Demolition and road closure costs are the responsibility of the building owner."