AN early 20th century salt store will be taken down after becoming a 'dangerous structure'.

The Coronation Salt Store in Marston, across the road from the Lion Salt Works in Ollershaw Lane, will be carefully dismantled in the New Year.

Having been monitored by Cheshire West and Chester Council structural engineers for some time, the building is now at risk of collapse.

For immediate safety reasons, and to allow for work to take place, a stretch of canal towpath will be temporarily closed with a diversion in place.

Cllr Louise Gittins, CWAC cabinet member for communities and wellbeing, said: “I’m sorry for any inconvenience caused by this closure – it has been done as a safety measure.

“We have consulted with Historic England who confirmed that we may carefully take down the dangerous structure for public safety reasons, subject to Scheduled Monument Consent.

"Work will start on this as soon as possible in the New Year."

Structural engineers are monitoring the building weekly whilst working with a specialist contractor on detailed planning of the work.

A temporary road closure will be needed while the structure is being taken down, in order to allow the contractor to have total control of the area.

The Coronation Salt Store on the western side of Ollershaw Lane – next to the humpback bridge between the Salt Barge pub and the canal – was constructed by Henry Ingram Thompson in 1901.

The floor was originally at canal towpath level, but subsidence left the floor of the salt store below towpath level.