Work begins to take roof off Workington’s Princess Hall

Work has begun to strip the roof from a former dance hall in Workington – despite plans to build shops and homes on the site refused last month.

Residents near the former Princess Hall, which overlooks Vulcan Park, spotted machinery moving in and the roof being knocked through yesterday.

Plans had been submitted to Allerdale council for the vacant and rundown building to make way for two shops, seven apartments and three townhouses.

But the proposal from Daniel Anders Redacre Investments Ltd was refused by members of the authority’s development panel after concerns were raised by neighbours over parking and access.

Despite a recommendation for the plans to be approved, including a legal requirement for the applicant to pay £6,000 towards new road markings and alterations to parking arrangements, members still threw the proposal out.

The building is currently empty. It was previously used by the DVLA as a driving test centre and more recently was a second hand furniture store.

In July, a fire broke out at the Princess Street site although the extent of the damage was not revealed.