THE OWNERS of the fire-damaged Raven Hotel have been ordered to start work on the building after Wychavon Council took legal action against them.
Live Urban Two Limited has been issued with a clear timetable to demolish the dangerous parts of the Grade II listed building and carry out any other preservation work needed to make the property safe.
The order, granted at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday, June 26 under Section 77 of the Building Act 1984, also gives Wychavon the power to step in if the timetable is not met.
Work carried out will also provide an opportunity to properly assess the condition of the 15th-century timber-framed core of the building.
The owner must have until Friday, July 10, to seek pre-application advice from Historic England and Wychavon about the demolition work.
They will then be expected to apply for Listed Building Consent to allow demolition and to give Historic England the opportunity to record the building.
Detailed plans will then have to be agreed with South Worcestershire Building Control, along with a date for work to start.
The order also requires that demolition and preservation work must continuously take place once started.
If the owner fails to meet any of the milestones set by the court or does not complete the work within a reasonable time, Wychavon will be able to enter the site, carry out the work and recover all costs from the owner.
A devastating fire last August destroyed the modern 20th-century section of the building.
Informal requests for a detailed programme of works were sent by the council in September 2025, January 2026 and again in May this year.
The authority claimed that recently, the owner assured Wychavon progress was being made, but no meaningful work followed.
Wychavon leader Coun Richard Morris said: “The people of Droitwich Spa deserve better than constant excuses and false assurances.
“I lost patience with the owner a long time ago and have kept pushing for this action, which draws a clear line in the sand.
“The owner now has a set timetable to follow, and we fully expect those deadlines to be met.
“If not, we will not hesitate to step in and do what is necessary to protect this important historic building, which means so much to the town, and to finally start moving forward towards the wider goal of redevelopment.
“We will be instructing officers to keep the pressure on and engage with Historic England to get a clear picture of progress made.”
