DESPITE pleas from a civic trust and strong opposition from councillors, one of Darlington's most unusual buildings is facing demolition.

The Rise Carr pub stands out in the mainly industrial Whessoe Road because of the painted figurehead capitals, carved by Barnard Castle stonemason Robert Borrowdale in 1867.

But since the death of David Willis last year, a painter and decorator who died days after falling and hitting his head during an argument with pub manager Steve Webb, the business has remained closed and is now boarded up.

Its owner, Hartlepool company Pubmaster, put the pub up for sale in December and now Darlington company Wharton Construction has applied for permission to build four terraced houses on the site, which will involve the building being demolished.

Officers told Darlington Borough Council's planning committee yesterday, that because they had been unable to gain listed building status for the distinctive structure, and because it was not within a conservation area, they were powerless to stop it being destroyed.

Planning officer Richard Alty told councillors that planning permission was not required to demolish a building, and in theory it could be pulled down at any time.

The committee was told that despite pleas from planning officials and Darlington Civic Trust that the building should be converted, the applicant had said that was not possible.

Planning officer Jeremy Smith told the meeting: "We have regrettably no alternative but to put forward a recommendation for planning permission.

"We want to salvage these figure heads and other items, and this aspect is covered in the planning conditions. We think the best that can be achieved is to salvage them and possibly re-use them elsewhere in town."

Councillor Bill Holmes said: "This is part of the history of Rise Carr, to put these things anywhere else in the town is wrong, they belong in Rise Carr, in Whessoe Road."

Peter Wharton, of Wharton Construction, previously said that the architect involved in the development was not in favour of using the figureheads in the building, because "it may look tacky".

Mr Smith agreed with this at the planning meeting, saying he did not think it was appropriate.

Members of the committee agreed to grant planning permission with a condition stipulating the figureheads should be salvaged.