THE long-running dispute over the future of the historic Garnett’s Tower in the centre of Warrington has still not been resolved.
Members of the borough council’s development management committee deferred a decision on a technicality – a recent change in planning legislation.
Developers PTS Property will now have to submit new applications for permission to demolish the tower, adjoining works and office buildings and the Cairo Street Chapel schoolroom.
Opposition to the scheme has been growing – particularly since a public meeting called by Warrington Arts Council.
The tower, built more than 100 years ago, is a locally listed building, built in a classic Italian style, and it is also within the Warrington Town Centre conservation area. The schoolroom is associated with the Grade 2 Listed Unitarian Chapel in Cairo Street.
Objectors claim the demolition would seriously and deleteriously affect a significant part of the only fully preserved central quadrant of historic character in central Warrington.
Almost three years ago, PTS obtained planning consent for a scheme for a restaurant, shops, a café and offices which would have preserved the landmark tower. But it was never implemented and the applicant now says the tower is unsafe and would cost up to £150,000 to make safe – making the whole project unviable.
Historic tower still in the balance
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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.
4 Comments
Good old Warrington Council,they get rid of everything with History behind it. Just like RAF Burtonwood Base. The Base was making £1,000,000 a year profit was there before any of the new Chapelford. Was ideal for Buniness Connections but they got rid of the longest under cover building. Now the Baths are going to end up as hardcore for roads.
The baths are going to end up as an up to date medical centre, question of priorities I guess, clapped out old victorian baths or proper NHS facilities.
Another typical “leave it until it falls down” decision by WBC. Surely we can save this historic site from further redevelopment. Look at the empty premises in the Town Centre!!! Has the WBC not heard the grounswell of opinion to keep this historic landmark or are we to be left with another “modern” replacement taking the character of OUR Town Centre! Our Council are doing a very good job of getting rid of anything with history in our “faceless” Town Centre.
This is obviously PTS , clearly they never intended to preserve the building and as such any claim they laid to develop the area should be thrown out. I can imagine their conversation with the council “its the thick people of warrington we are dealing with here, we’ll just say that a tower standing trouble free over a 100 years is fine, then we’ll wait 3 years and say its now unsafe, and needs to be demolishised warringtonians are stupid that way”.
just like they were with the Bay horse, listed building, just knock it down, “by accident”, we’ll fine you £1500 wink wink.