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SALFORD OPPOSITION GROWS TO DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC LODGE IN WORSLEY WOODS
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Star date: 26th July 2016
OVER 2,500 PEOPLE SIGN PETITION TO SAVE WORSLEY WOODS LODGE
A petition launched only three days ago to save The Lodge overlooking Old Warke Dam in Worsley Woods from demolition has already garnered over 2,500 signatures.
The building, which isn't listed locally or nationally, has no protection and does not need planning permission to be demolished. However, Historic England can list The Lodge and save the picturesque landmark from being trashed.
Full details here…
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Over 2,500 people have already signed a petition to save The Lodge in Worsley Woods from demolition, despite it only being launched three days ago.
It is unclear when the actual Lodge was built but it overlooks Old Warke Dam, which was originally constructed around 1760, initially providing water for the Bridgewater Canal and later to power flour mills. It was then used for a private boating and fishing lake for the 1st Earl of Ellesmere and later as a game reserve for the 3rd Earl of Ellesmere.
Today the Dam and its surrounding paths and woods are a site of biological importance and are undergoing improvements, detailed in the Bridgewater Canal ten year Masterplan to the tune of £441,000, via Heritage Lottery funding.
The Lodge was only sold to a private individual two years ago for £530,000 but he now states in the demolition notice to Salford City Council that "recent proposed extensions has proved to be uneconomic" and that "Existing property and accommodation is not deemed to provide a functional family home…It is anticipated that a new build house will satisfy solutions…"
The picturesque Lodge is not listed either locally or nationally, and thus has no protection, although Historic England could step in and protect the property.
Addressing Save The Lodge campaigners on the Change.org petition site* which is aimed at Salford Council, Councillor Derek Antrobus, the Council's Lead Member for Planning states: "Salford City Council has NOT granted planning permission for the demolition. This is because the building does not need permission to be demolished. The Government's agency Historic England has not listed the building which is the only way it can be saved from demolition.
"The Council's only role has been to receive a notification that the premises are to be demolished. This allows the Council to ensure the method of demolition is safe. It does not give the Council the power to decide whether the demolition is appropriate. I strongly urge you to petition Historic England to list the building."
This can be done very quickly, as was proved when the Tree of Knowledge sculpture in Charlestown was saved from the bulldozers at the last minute in 2009 after a huge campaign by the community and heritage organisations (see previous Salford Star article – click here). In the demolition application, the current owner of The Lodge states that he's not expecting to commence work until November 2017.
"The disruption to wildlife a demolition will cause will be huge" states Nick Dawson who began the petition to save the Lodge "and with the only access to the site being public walkways, thousands of us who enjoy the woods on a daily basis will be denied this."
Loads of comments have been left on the petition website and on Worsley Facebook groups. This one from a local resident, just about sums up the feelings…
"This Lodge is an iconic part of Worsley. It is part of our local heritage and an intrinsic part of Worsley Woods. The Lodge is close to Warke Dam and surrounded by beautiful natural woodland where wildlife flourishes. Not only would a modern building be totally inappropriate in this setting, the demolishing of this building and the erecting of a new one would be prejudicial to wildlife.
"The Woods and Lodge go together" she adds "People walk through the woods to enjoy our heritage and the beauty that has been left to us. If someone wants a modern house there are plenty of places in the district to buy one or build one but definitely not here. This Lodge is part of our woodland. Please leave it alone and respect our wildlife and this beautiful setting…"
* To sign the Change.org petition – click here
Update: 27th July
Lodge owner offers to sell to the community…
Lee Plaister, the current owner of The Lodge, has made a public statement on the petition site, offering to sell the building to Salford Council or the community….
”My wife and I have been overwhelmed by the posts on your petition…in response we feel we must make it clear that The Lodge is not under imminent threat of being demolished. The current planning application will safeguard the future of The Lodge as a building not threaten its demolition.
Furthermore, as a result of the support we have seen via your blog/petition my wife and I would like confirm that we remain committed to selling The Lodge as a community asset if the council (or volunteers) have an interest. If this doesn't transpire, we further confirm that we would not contemplate demolishing The Lodge without first placing it on the open market for sale for a period in excess of 3 months.
Of course, in the interests of fairness and allowing us as a family to move forward, we hope you and everyone else would respect that if we have offered The Lodge for sale to the community and offered it for sale to the public openly and no-one comes forward then we do not expect further vilification for any course of action we chose to take…”
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Mary Ferrer wrote
at 23:15:52 on 28 July 2016 |
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| Story in MEN says that the person who owns this beautiful house,will not demolition the building. Is willing to see it to a local group or organisation. I wouldn't trust a word this person says. Everyone needs to be vigilant and try to get this house listed as soon as possible. |
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Lynette Foster wrote
at 07:57:06 on 28 July 2016 |
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| I use to walk through the woods frequently when I lived at home, and the Lodge always stood out as an iconic building. Although I do not live locally any more it would be terrible sad if this grand old building was to suffer by demolition. Please, please, Salford Council do think again and please consider putting a preservation order on The Lodge. |
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Joe O'Donnell wrote
at 12:05:33 on 27 July 2016 |
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| The Council CAN stop demolition by issuing an article 4 direction requiring planning permisison |
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Caveat Emptor wrote
at 01:27:49 on 27 July 2016 |
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| The point is the new build will decimate the historic look of the area. The owner has been felling trees at the rear of the Lodge outside his boundary, surely this isnt legal - do they not have TPO's on them. PP should be denied as per EN Salford Planning Policy rules 'Development will not be permitted where it would cause unacceptable harm to its character or value as an amenity. We all need to block this new build asap as the deadline is the 29th. |
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Paul J wrote
at 01:26:44 on 27 July 2016 |
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| Salford council could issue a building preservation notice
https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/hpg/has/bpns/ |
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Claire Ayres wrote
at 20:13:18 on 26 July 2016 |
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| The Council may not need to give permission for the demolition but they could make it quite clear that they would not give planning permission for a new build in that location. Surely that would eliminate the point of the demolition and go a long way to help? |
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Brian wrote
at 12:49:48 on 26 July 2016 |
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| We need to preserve buildings like this for the future, the council is a disgrace if they let this happen213 |
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Mary Ferrer wrote
at 12:49:43 on 26 July 2016 |
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| I can't understand why this beautiful building hasn't been listed years ago. And its not even on the local list of buildings of interest.
I hope the people trying to save this building have been in touch with historical England,to get an emergency protection order on the build,as it is under threat of destruction. Why buy the house in the first place if you don't like it. What a load of crap. Whoever you are,sell it to someone who will love and cherish this fine building and with your money,build a grand concrete/wooden /glass carbuncle in the middle of nowhere and let the people of Salford who do have a little bit of taste,enjoy this magnificent piece of history. I wise the campaign well. I have signed and hope everyone else does the same. |
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B.Thorpe J.P.(Rtd) wrote
at 12:49:34 on 26 July 2016 |
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| This should NOT be demolished as is proposed. A building of Great importance. Again the City of Salford has no interest in old buildings they just want to replace them with new poorly designed modern structures. The some thing will happen to Monks Hall. Please add my name to the partition. |
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