OWNERS of a listed building could be prosecuted for making alterations without permission.

Bolton Council has issued an enforcement notice on 78 St George’s Road near the town centre over work that has been done on the building that does not fit with its character.

Council officers were alerted by a resident to the alterations, which include uPVC windows and changes to the exterior.

The building is owned by Properties Investments Limited.

A council spokesman said: “We received a complaint from a resident that unauthorised alterations had taken place to this building, which is also in a conservation area.

“We investigated and found that work had taken place without listed building consent. We have been in contact with the owners to advise them on how to resolve the issues.

“As they have not carried out the required work, we have served an enforcement notice, which requires the owner to take a number of steps.

“The enforcement notice took effect on August 16 and the owner will have six months to fully comply. If it is not complied with we will take further legal action, which could include prosecution.”

The changes to the back of the building included re-skinning, a technique used on ageing buildings to give them an energy-saving facelift.

The notice, which has been attached to scaffolding at the back of the property, outlines the reasons as to why it had been issued.

It said: “The unauthorised works have had a detrimental effect on the character and appearance of the listed building of special architectural interest and the St George’s Conservation Area.”

St George’s is one of 26 conservation areas within Bolton, the council has a duty to formulate and publish proposals for the preservation and enhancement of these areas.

Anyone wanting to demolish whole or parts of buildings in these areas needs to be granted permission.

The owners of the listed building, one of 700 in Bolton, now have to remove the outer skin brickwork, remove a soil pipe, remove four small windows and replace the uPVC window with a sliding sash window.

All building materials and debris must also been removed.

The building used to belong to boxing promoter Asif Vali, but he no longer owners the property.

According to an online property search engine the building was sold in November last year.

The council does not know when work was started on the property.

The owners have six months from the enforcement notice date to complete the work.