The building that was once a pub and a Chinese restaurant has been vacant for years
A Chinese restaurant in Preston that was left to ruin for eight years could be demolished as developers look to transform the plot.
Owners of China House in Aqueduct Street were forced to shut its door in 2014 after they were stripped of their licence. Since then, the building near to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) became a breeding ground for anti social behaviour with break ins, fires, and groups of youth hanging around the area.
Problems with the building began with its former owner. Wen Qaing Cai was in 2015 sentenced at Preston Magistrates’ Court to four offences. Cai, then 35 of Preston Road, Chorley, pleaded guilty to failing to protect the health and safety of his employees, and others, failure to comply with a requirement for access to the cellar of his restaurant, and to ensure that gas work was carried out by an approved person.
An inspection of the vacant building found gas bottles stored in the cellar and a cooking range which had been leaking gas. The old site soon became that target of fly tipping that came with dangerous consequences.
In April 2018, asbestos sheets were dumped outside by fly tippers in the early hours of the morning. Months later in July, dozens of police officers descended upon the abandoned building and two men were arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation. Three years later in 2021, a fire broke out inside the building that took crews hours to put out.
The building, before being a restaurant was the Lime Kiln pub and now the entire site could be crushed to rubble if developers get the go ahead to send the bulldozers through. An application sent in by Kam Design on behalf of the owners of the building seek to demolish the structure in response to ongoing issues.
Developers describe the building as “currently unoccupied and is in a poor state of repair as a result of anti-social behaviour and vandalism which has taken place at the property.” The intention is to redevelop the site with a new building and proposals are expected to follow as part of a subsequent planning application.
If plans get approved, demolition works will be planned within the hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, and 8am to 1pm on Saturdays. It is expected that the clearance of the site will be completed within two weeks.
- 17:53, 21 JUN 2022
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