Wandsworth Council rejected an application by Udhyam Amin for retrospective planning permission for demolition of the Alchemist pub in St John’s Hill, Battersea.

The Victorian building was open as a pub for more than 100 years before it closed in 2013. It was pulled down in May by Mr Amin who had plans to extend it and build a block of flats.

The council has now launched enforcement action requiring its reconstruction with original materials.

Mr Amin said: “They want us to build it back, but we were going to do that anyway. We will resolve this.”