DoE is delisting almost every building in Court Street

Heritage groups fear the move by the Department of the Environment could set an important legal precedent.

It follows revelations that no-one had been brought before the courts following the unauthorised demolition of two listed houses at Court Street in Newtownards, County Down in December 1997.

When pressed on the matter, the DoE said it could not win the legal action because it had not stopped alterations to the buildings before they were knocked down.

The DoE is now in the process of delisting almost every building in Court Street because so many of them have been altered.

Does that mean such unlimited alterations will occur across the province - that's a very worrying message to send out Rita Harkin Ulster Architectural Heritage Society

Rita Harkin of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society says the decision not to prosecute was very worrying.

"Why was there no enforcement? If alterations occurred that were not appropriate, why were these not followed up?

"Does that mean that such unlimited alterations will occur across the province? That's a very worrying message to send out," she said.

Fines threat

The government has faced strong criticism in recent years for failing to protect buildings of interest.

Earlier this year, the DoE announced plans for stringent new laws with fines of up to �30,000 and the threat of jail for those who blatantly flouted the law.

Two listed buildings were demolished without authorisation

Also included were powers to prevent the demolition of buildings that were not listed.

The laws had originally been proposed by assembly members before devolution was suspended last October.

It followed several cases where they did not have the legislative backing to prevent buildings being demolished.

These included the former Belfast home of poet Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney.