A CONTROVERSIAL plan for a new flagship headquarters building for Warrington’s Golden Gates Housing Trust comes before the borough council’s development management committee next week – for the second time.
The proposal has been criticised by English Heritage because of the design of the building and also because of the historical context of the site in Bank Park, just off Kendrick Street.
The committee has considered the proposals once but decided to defer the matter until they had visited the site.
The scheme involves a new, part two, part three, storey office building on the site of the overgrown Bank Park Depot, within the Town Hall Conservation Area.
It would mean demolition of existing buildings on the site, including the locally listed but derelict Crosfields Conservatory
English Heritage claim they were not consulted prior to the planning application being submitted and are critical of the proposal and have recommended it be withdrawn “until such time as a scheme is produced which more clearly enhances the conservation area and the setting of the Town Hall.”
But planning officers are recommending the plans be approved.
Nearby residents have objected on the grounds that the land was originally gifted to the town as a park – including the depot area.
Local councillor Steve Parish (pictured) has questioned why the site has not been considered part of the Town Hall curtilage, which would have meant it was part of a Listed Building.
He notes that the designers of the new building claim to have taken into account other nearby buildings, including the Town Hall, in their design.
Cllr Parish says: “I am not sure how well they have succeeded, but it remains a fairly unremarkable modern office building.”
Cllr Steve Parish
Housing HQ back before planners
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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
This ought to be stopped. WBC ought to be renovating the Crosfileds Consevatory as part of our history. There are plenty of empty office buildings throughout the Town and WBC ought to ensure that GGH moves into one of these in stead of wasting money on this “unremarkable” building in a conservation area.
Surely this is council land not owned by golden gates housing who are now a seperate legal entity?
Why doesn’t the council extend this in to a larger depot as its the best
Depot they have. It has so much potential. It is centrally located and secure.
Where are the current staff that work here going to go? As all other depots
Are run down and full. This is shame full of the council to sell off!
What will they sell next? You can only sell the jewels once!!
Not an application that would stand up to scrutiny and challenge.