A NOTICE forcing the owner of the former Hippodrome theatre to repair the building is being withdrawn by Derby City Council.

The authority issued the enforcement notice on Christopher Anthony in October last year in an attempt to make him repair the Grade II-listed landmark.

Mr Anthony was asked to bring the building back to the condition it was in before it collapsed during work by his contractors in March.

Huge sections of the Green Lane theatre were brought down when heavy machinery was used to probe the roof.

Mr Anthony was told that if he did not comply with the enforcement notice he would face an unlimited fine.

But because the developer said he would appeal, which could have led to a drawn-out and costly wrangle, the council agreed to delay enforcing the notice.

Instead it decided to work with him to find another use for the building, retaining some of its original features but bringing it back into use.

Today, the council has revealed it will withdraw the enforcement notice because it is stopping Mr Anthony getting the money he needs to submit a suitable planning application.

A spokeswoman said: "Currently the enforcement notice is preventing the owner from raising the finance to pay for the costs associated with submitting the application.

"These costs include professional reports, including architects' drawings, which must accompany any application together with the statutory planning application fee, which could be in the region of £30,000.

"The positive momentum must be maintained, therefore the council has agreed to formally withdraw the enforcement notice."

The council said it did not meant that another enforcement notice could not be served in the future if Mr Anthony did not submit plans.

"Derby City Council is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to act in the interest of the public and the preservation of the Hippodrome," the spokeswoman said.

"However, the legal processes involved are complex and time-consuming, and we realise this has been a frustrating time for the public and other interested parties."

The fate of the Hippodrome touched the hearts of many theatre-goers, historians and residents.

Its partial demolition in March led the council to seek a High Court injunction stopping Mr Anthony from touching the building further without its permission.

The authority won that order in April last year and it said it was still investigating what had occurred when the damage to the Hippodrome was caused with a view to a possible prosecution.