Residents in a Midlands village have called for a large Victorian house, which is under threat of demolition, to be saved and officially listed by English Heritage as a building of interest.
Developers Heritage Oak Developments want to demolish the large old property, known as Little Champson, at Roxall Close, Blakedown, near Kidderminster, to make way for two five-bedroomed homes to be built on the site. But neighbours and parish councillors have caused an outcry.
They claim it would be a “desecration of the heritage of the area” if the building was demolished.
They claim the property is one of Blakedown’s oldest buildings, having been constructed around 1800, and that it has many fine architectural features including a terrace and balustrade.
These are recognisable despite an extension being constructed in the 1960s.
Villagers claim they “could not countenance” the destruction of such a lovely old building that formed part of the heritage of the village and have called for it to be saved.
Members of Wyre Forest District Council planning and development control committee have cleared the path for the building to be saved by refusing an application for planning permission for two new homes on the site.
They said the homes would be out of scale and result in over-development of the site.
They also say the proposed development would result in an unacceptable loss of amenities for neighbouring properties.
But it could be several weeks before officials with English Heritage decide whether or not the building should be preserved and added to the Listed Buildings Register.
Villager Mrs Penny Carlton said: “One of our keenest concerns is that we could be losing a very beautiful building in a village that now has many box-like buildings.
“Our second concern is that we are not happy that two large executive homes could be built and that these would detract from the street-scene.
“Some neighbours in Linwood Drive would lose their privacy.
“Although it is rundown, the shell of the building is fine,” she added.
3 Comments
I am all for saving listed buildings, and I back Blakedown,but beware of those greedy developers, I have not got over what happened to the Elephant & Castle public house in Wolverhampton yet, before you know it Blakedown, it will be a mound of rubble,once again beware,and be alert at all times,or it will end up with deep sadness and dissapointment, good luck.
Developers in the Midlands only think of the big $ sign !!! Beauty and elegance in their world are dirty words !!!
I wonder if any of the executives of the company vying to build the 5 houses actually live in a beautiful Victori and/or Edwardian property ?
I hope people power win the day for a change !!!
As a resident in Blakedown, I completely resent the fact that the site at Little Champson be listed as a site of interest. Firstly, despite the fact that the building is one of the oldest within the area, it is in fact a complete eye-saw on the visual street scene of the Birmingham Road and also Roxhall Close.
Despite this, the building itself is a poor example of quality in terms of both listing and redevelopment. this is evident at first glance, where it can be seen that numerous modernist extensions of poor craftsmanship has been added to an already tired and visual impairing building envelope.
It must be added that despite the nature of the published article, I as well as many other villagers would be glad to see the site redeveloped. As in essence Little Champson is an extremely poor example of a building of listed quality which would in fact never be subject to the condition in which it once found itself, partly due to its age as well as the poor workmanship in which it has been subject to.