THE demolition of a derelict former nightclub has been hit with a fresh set of delays after the owner of the building decided to sell up.

A plan to flatten the former Zig Zag nightclub in St John’s and build 12 new apartments above shop and office space was approved by Worcester City Council’s planning committee way back in October 2016 having lay empty for more than 20 years.

Disagreements between the council and the developer over financial contributions meant progress was halted until February this year when work was set to start.

The plan has now been hit with another delay and demolition has been halted after developer Peter Styles decided to sell the building.

Councillor Richard Udall, who represents St John's, said the latest delay was "incredibly frustrating" but the new owner needed time to put together a plan for the eyesore building.

He said: "As I understand it the owner who gained planning permission in 2016 has now sold the site to a third party.

"It is incredibly frustrating. We thought we had turned a corner and we thought we had got the process started and under way and now it looks like we will have to start the process all over again.

"We will have to wait and see but we aren't prepared to wait that long. We have got to give the new owners time and space to put together a new plan on whatever it is they want to do next."

Cllr Udall had previously said the old rotting building had been a "scar on the face of St John's" for a long time.

The former nightclub had fallen into a state of severe disrepair since closing more than 20 years ago and was ravaged by fire in August 2007.

Having gained planning permission in 2016, work should have started within two years but no progress was made.

The plan would have kept the front of the old Cordles store and install space for a new shop and office as well as eight one-bedroom and four two-bedroom apartments.

The lack of work was due to a disagreement over section 106 money – funds the developer has to give the council for local infrastructure - but a final agreement was eventually approved by developer Peter Styles and the work to build the apartments was greenlighted by city council planners earlier this year.

Conditions were put in place when the scheme was approved to forgo the council’s usual requirement of 30 per cent of a development to be designated as affordable housing, as well as thousands of pounds of financial contributions to the council.

In 2016, discussions between the city council and Peter Styles revealed the development would not be worthwhile if an affordable housing quota and extra money contributions were placed on the developer.

Council planners had encouraged the planning committee to approve Peter Styles' application as the former nightclub had not attracted any attention from other developers and had been left empty for several years.

Popular takeaway chain Domino's Pizza is set to move into former St John's watering hole The Smoke Stack which was also damaged by fire in 2007 and fell into a similar state of disrepair and has remained boarded up since.

A decision on whether to allow the move to go ahead is expected to be made by city council planners soon.