A council, councillors and campaigners have won their battle to get their popular pub in Kilburn “rebuilt brick by brick” after it was illegally demolished last year.

Graham Dudley, the planning inspectorate, has said the Carlton Tavern Pub in Carlton Vale should be rebuilt by developer’s CLTX, following a public inquiry in May.

CLTX, which is based in Israel and owned by Ori Calif, knocked down the popular pub weeks after Westminster Council rejected its planning appeal to build flats and days before it was due to be listed by Historic England.

The five-day inquiry centred on the planning refusal before the pub was reduced to rubble last April and also the council’s enforcement order to rebuild it which followed, both appealed by CLTX.

They now have two years to rebuilt the prewar pub and bring it back to its former glory.

John Simmance, of Friends of the Carlton Tavern, said: “It’s great news for the community. We’ve been fighting for 14 months. It shows that property speculators can be stopped and people in the community have a right to have their say.

“CLTX went around this the wrong way. I don’t know how they will wriggle out of it because the decision is final.”

Cllr Robert Davis, Westminster Council’s cabinet member for the built environment, said: “This decision is a just reward for the work of all the local campaigners who have fought so hard to right this wrong.

“Westminster City Council has stood side by side with residents to demand that the Carton Tavern should be rebuilt brick by brick.”

“Our planning officers and residents made a strong case in May at the public inquiry. I am pleased that we have won the battle and I look forward to seeing the Carlton Tavern turned back into a thriving community pub.

“This sends a clear message to developers across the country that they cannot ride roughshod over the views of local communities.”