PLANNING bosses are recommending that an application to demolish a landmark building in the historic heart of Warrington town centre should be approved.
The scheme, put forward by PTS Property, goes before the borough council’s development management 
committee tomorrow (Thursday).
If approved, the distinctive Garnett’s tower, off Cairo Street, would be demolished.
Almost three years ago, a comprehensive re-development of the area was approved by planners, involving shops, restaurant and café and drinking establishment.
But the tower- a Locally Listed building – was at that time to be retained along with the Grade 2 Listed Cairo Street Unitarian Chapel.
The new schemes still preserves the chapel, but the tower, adjoining works buildings, the chapel school room and former council offices will be demolished.
Planners say the loss of the buildings, particularly the tower, is regrettable. But they say there has been irretrievable deterioration since their heyday and they are now a liability in the town centre conservation area.
Cost of stabilising the tower alone is put at £125,000-£150,000 and this would not be viable as a long term solution.
One objection has been received to the demolition from a resident who feels it 
will make the town centre even more “faceless” than it already is.
The Rev Steve Parish, vicar of nearby Holy Trinity Church, says the cost of stabilising the tower might not be unreasonable in terms of heritage conservation. But he says this probably does not include other works, such as repairs to masonry, interal access, etc.
He says the tower, while influenced by the 14th century Arnolfo tower of the Palazzo Vecchio, in Florence, is merely a clever imitation of a medieval Italian tower.
“Unless there is an overriding case for retaining the tower as an interesting piece of architecture in its own right, I do not object to its demolition.
Cairo Street Chapel was built in 1745 and its interior dates from 1863. It has historical associations with Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, authors Elizabeth Gaskell and Ann Laetitia Barbauld and prison reformer John Howard.
Pictured: To be demolished – Garnett’s Tower (right) and the Cairo Street Chapel Schoolroom.
Landmark tower set for demolition
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
7 Comments
there’ll be nothing of historical interest left in this town soon – just more modern,costly, meaningless rubbish like the skittles….
Who has worked out the cost of stabilising the tower at £125,000-£150,000 and what actually needs doing to it ? 🙂
this is just like Warrington Council, RAF Burtonwood was a land mark, and what did they do when it was making £1,000000 a year profit, which could have gone back into the area, but no lets get rid of our history, I would like to know how many of the Council staff are from Warrington??
Has there been any public consultation about this? I see one resident has objected – first I knew about it was in last week’s Guardian……
Those of us that are Warrington born and bred are fed up of seeing our historical buildings etc being destroyed!
Bit late to do anything about it now as the decision will be made tomorrow…..
Note planning bosses are recommending that the plans are approved! Wouldn’t the fact that the town is ‘supposedly’ committed to conservation of a ‘cultural quarter’ and that the tower is locally listed whilst the Unitarian Chapel has a grade 11 mean that it would have been well within the remit of ‘the planning bosses’ to recommend refusal? Why do the ‘planning bosses’ seem to repeatedly make it difficult for our heritage to be retained? It appears that there is no sincere intention whatsoever to protect any of our heritage. Perhaps a reshuffle in the Executive chambers and the planning dept might help?
One more historical building to go! When do Warringtonians get a say? I am quite sure that the Planners recommending this are not Warringtonians. Big Business prevails again. All of our heritage is being removed piece by piece and I agree that soon nothing will be left. I agree that the Planners could, quite easily, have recommended refusal but that is not how it works, is it? Ordinary folk constantly have plans for quite modest extensions refused whilst big business seems to get away with it. It is quite clear that there needs to be a rearrangement in the way WBC react to these matters and a new direction is brought to the Planning Dept.
Yet again we hear nothing on here from our elected, expense grabbing councillors./ They are all to quick to comment here when it suits them, but when they are being brought to book they shut up shop and say nothing. This building is the last major piece of heritage left in the Town Centre and the council should be backing its survival instead of accepting its fate……….. The councillors of this town are a bunch of self serving pigs who have no respect for the people of the town or its heritage. They are more interested in their petty party squabbles and how much travel expenses they can claim. Do the right thing and gain some respect Coumncillors and save this building for the future of the town. Have a look at the fabulous photo of this building in its heyday on the forum and help to save it…….. or are other intersts clouding their judgments? Is the building now in the way of the latest WBC money spinner???