BRADFORD Council has said a listed building was in such a dangerous state that it had to be demolished before heritage guardians were consulted.

In August Cherry Tree Farm on Fagley Lane, Eccleshill, was knocked down, despite its listed status.

It later emerged that Bradford Council had ordered the demolition, saying the 18th century building was in a “perilous” state and had become a risk to children who have been known to frequent the site.

Vandals have previously damaged the former home, which is believed to have been built in 1754, leaving it derelict and hazardous.

The decision to knock it down angered some members of the community, who claimed they should have been consulted on its future.

The Council said it took the preservation of listed and heritage buildings very seriously, but the safety of children had to come first.

At a Council meeting on Tuesday, the controversy raised its head again when Councillor Chris Herd (Cons, Worth Valley) asked the Council executive why Historic England was not consulted before Cherry Tree Farm was razed to the ground.

The Council responded: "The Council advised the owner that it considered Cherry Tree Farm to be a dangerous structure and, without attention, it posed a risk to public safety. The Owner subsequently demolished the structure.

"Historic England was aware of the situation through previous discussions with the Council's Heritage Conservation Team.

"However, the urgency of the situation, where the building posed a significant risk to the public, meant that the decision to demolish had to be taken swiftly.

"Historic England itself has acknowledged publicly that when health and safety becomes a major factor, the local authority has the power to carry out emergency measures to protect the public."

At the meeting Cllr Heard also asked if the building or any of the land near it was owned by the Council. He was told non of the land was in Council ownership.