Thanks for linking to my site at
www.theviewfromthenorth.org.
If the owners had actually got round to securing and maintaining the building, e.g. replacing the large window which had mysteriously fallen in on the top floor, then who knows, it might not have got into such a sorry state. But there again the ownership of this place seemed to be in question last year, as was the church over the road. I was meant to be legitamately visiting the church with the permission of the supposed owners, but it turns out they didn't actually own it.
But that's another story.............
Acquiring a listed building and letting it rot until it's beyond economic repair (especially with the ridiculous demands placed on the restoration of listed buildings by English Heritage) is a tried and tested way of over-riding planning rules. However, it is more above board than finding that arsonists have burnt the place down, which is just as effective.