Developers want to knock a historic Nantwich building down which was once part of Barony Hospital, and replace it with 24 apartments.
Daniel Epstein, of EPRA Fabrics Limited, wants to demolish the former school and children’s home and build two new apartment blocks on Barony Court.
It was originally built in 1880 next door to the historic Grade II Listed Nantwich Workhouse building, which dates back further to 1779.
In 1929, the school and workhouse were converted and opened as Barony Hospital, which then closed in 1994.
The two-storey building has been used as commercial offices in recent years.
But some residents living nearby feel the loss of the building would be a blow to the town.
One concerned resident said: “I only became aware of the application from a letter from Cheshire East Council planning dept through mine and my neighbour’s doors.
“We live across the Barony Road, opposite the building.
“It seems a crying shame an attractive building, historically important to the town’s history, should be demolished for yet another housing development in an already swamped market with dwindling community infrastructure.
“The building is also currently home to bats roosting and conditions for their welfare would have to be incorporated.”
Reoprts received by planners at Cheshire East Council suggest protected bats are present in the building and a Protected Species survey will need to be carried out.
“An important feature will be the provision of a temporary bat loft to accommodate the bats
until the new permanent loft is created. This will be in the NW roof space in the West
Building,” says an architect’s report.
The former children’s home and school is not Listed and it is not included in Cheshire East Council’s historic buildings supplementary planning document.
(Pic: Former Nantwich children’s home and Barony Hospital, pic by Espresso Addict under creative commons)
The application has been withdrawn following lots of letters of objection – http://doc.cheshireeast.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/07734421.pdf
What idiot designed the Swine Market!!!! Total eyesore!!!
The reason why Nantwich is such an attractive place to live is because of buildings like the Barony Hospital that make up the “Nantwich character”. Like my fellow respondents, I welcome more living space in the town but making use of the good things we already have and maintaining our heritage will keep the character of Nantwich.
Renovate not detonate. I agree with the majority of the other comments, Nantwich is an historic town and tourists come because of that. Let’s preserve our heritage.
Our local hertitage needs saving!…
Dabbers unite & register your objections at Cheshire East Planning….ref no: 15/3462N
This is plain wrong and should not be allowed. There are plenty of really ugly eyesores of buildings that are dilapidated in other towns that deserve to be bulldozed – but this isn’t one of them. This isn’t nimbyism either. I can appreciate well designed modernist buildings – especially when they are replacing 60s built monstrosities – but this is not the case.
Considering how well the old police training centre was converted on the outskirts of crewe went. It is still a great building and is flats, it would be good if could be converted in a similar way.
Convert yes, not demolish, I was born in the barony, it’s one of the few historic buildings left
List it, protect it and convert! I moved to America some years back. Only when you live in a place with so little in the way of historic buildings do you really appreciate these icons. Don’t let the developers grab even more money at the expense of the dabbers! They’ve had their share. Protect it!
Isn’t there a case for another petition as with the Edleston Road School building? It should not be demolished but converted into flats
If the structure is sound I agree. But we don’t know that. Often with old buildings, the cost of repairing the structure of the building is more than the value of the finished flats. It would be nice to know.
Having moved away from Nantwich many years ago and returned recently, I was saddened by how unrecognisable it was; due to the vast amount of housing development that had taken place- destroying an architecturally significant building is just plainly and simply WRONG
This is so sad I was born there and my grandmother was a nurse there over 40 years ago.
Why can’t it stay up and be converted into apartments, there’s no need to demolish it, could be made lovely
Convert it don’t demolish it please, we need to keep our heritage not erase it and rebuild gaudy buildings which is what will happen!
This building should be listed, at least Grade II, so conversion is the only option. What Nantwich needs is more jobs not more homes.
Convert to residences perhaps, but demolish – you must be kidding. The people of Nantwich need to make sure this doesn’t happen. This is a beautiful town with many historic buildings. Let’s keep it that way.
Please convert historic and well known Nantwich building – do not allow to be demolished. Too many Nantwich buildings were lost during 60’s – look at the loss of Swine Market & Oat Market and the horrendous replacement builds that certainly need demoliting!
Conversion yes but demolish definitely not…..What is Cheshire East trying to do..destroy the past to create eyesores…get real this is historic.
Andrew: Completely agreed. The basic fabric of these buildings must be better than the modern, “efficient” building methods (and I speak as the owner of a newbuild house). You only have to look just down the road at the modern flats by the river which are already showing signs of deterioration. Sympathetically restored, the building would look so much better than a new replacement.
Cant they convert the existing building like they did with the old Police College on Nantwich Rd. It is now the nicest building in Crewe.
Many a dabber born in that buildings as it was the maternity unit at one time.
It’s a surprise that something that old is not on some sort or historic list as it was part of the workhouse system along with the other buildings in what are now princess court and being put to good use as offices