Landmark awaits fate

An historic Stafford building which was set to be torn down on Monday has been granted a stay of execution by police bosses.

Demolition work on the old Baswich House mansion has been put on hold after the plans met with a furious response from council leaders, who demanded a meeting to discuss the issue.

The mansion, built by former Stafford MP Sir Thomas Salt more than 130 years ago, was due to be razed to the ground on Monday. Staffordshire Police Authority wants to remove it to clear the way for a housing development on the site of its Cannock Road headquarters, which it is leaving for a new base on Weston Road later this year.

However, the plans came under fire from Stafford Mayor Councillor Ann Edgeller, who urged police authority bosses not to destroy the landmark building. The leader of Stafford Borough Council, Councillor Judith Dalgarno, also added her voice to the opposition and pledged to do all she could to save the building. She said: "We are extremely disappointed that the police authority has taken this action.

"I along with my fellow ward members have examined all possibilities in an attempt to save this landmark building. Over the years we have campaigned against the property being demolished and we understood the developer was going to refurbish the building sympathetically and turn it into accommodation."

However, the chairman of Staffordshire Police Authority, Stafford councillor Mike Poulter, was unrepentant and defended the move. He said the building's poor condition meant it was a health and safety risk and could be prone to vandal attacks once the police's phased withdrawal from Baswich was complete.

He also said the demolition was unlikely to be halted by the meeting, which he wanted to take place "as early as possible" in the week.

"The leader of the council asked to meet with me and others so we're having that meeting just to learn what the leader of the council has to say.

"We will obviously listen to what they say but all the decisions have been appropriately made. We don't think it is significant and neither does English Heritage - it's not significant in the historic sense, it's just a reasonably old building."