Failure to repair church to cost owners £125,000

CONSTRUCTION firm will have to pay almost £125,000 for failing to carry out repairs on a listed church.

- DAVID HUNTLEY

Sunderland-based Purvis Construction NE Ltd - which owns the Grade II listed St Aidan's Church at Blackhill, County Durham - has been ordered to pay £124,800.

It is the second time the firm has been taken to court by Durham County Council in relation to the condition of the now-closed property.

A court heard the company failed to start or complete any work to address the state of disrepair the church was in, leading to an enforcement notice being served in November 2023.

Last week, Peterlee Magistrates' Court imposed a financial penalty of £500 for each day that has passed since the first prosecution - the maximum amount allowed.