A former pupil at a St Martin’s school set to be bulldozed for housing development has written to Prince Charles in a bid to try and stop it being demolished.
Last week plans put forward by Cornovii Developments, a private house-building company set up by Shropshire Council, to demolish the former Ifton Heath school and build 35 new homes on the site were approved.
The proposals first went before Shropshire Council’s planning committee in March, when officers had recommended refusal, saying the school was a non-designated heritage asset and should not be demolished.
However a meeting of the Northern area planning committee approved the plans by a narrow margin on Tuesday, August 3.
Now in a last-gasp measure to try and save the school building Keith Evans, a pupil at the school from 1961 to 1966 is calling for a Royal pardon for the site.
Mr Evans believes the former school building, constructed in 1915, is “one of the finest examples of late Edwardian Dutch architecture in rural England” and says it should be saved.
“The Prince has given particular emphasis to heritage in rural communities where examples from the historical line are scarce – this could not be truer for Ifton Heath and St. Martins,” he said.
“Perhaps Shropshire County Council might like to explain to the heir to the throne their motivation for not converting a fine landmark for residential use, but eradicating a handsome architectural gem from 1915 into some bland array of houses.”
The controversial development was voted through by 5 votes to 4 during the meeting, with one abstention. Cornovii Developments had previously said that retaining the existing school building as part of the plans would reduce the amount of houses able to be built on the site and render it unviable.
In his letter, Mr Evans called on the Prince to intervene, accusing the council of “marking its own homework” over the scheme.
“While recognised as a Heritage Asset by Shropshire Council, it has not prevented their planning sub committee in recent days voting to raze the entire site to rubble in order to build 35 houses; the contract being awarded to the County Council’s own development company,” he writes.
“The council has rejected all appeals by St Martin’s Parish Council, the local County Councillor, villagers and former pupils such as myself who wish to retain and adapt the landmark site atop Ifton Heath hill.
“Many fear that before long the wrecking balls will hastily be deployed before any inquiry or countervailing action can seek a delay or reversal of the narrow decision.”
Clarence House has been contacted for comment.
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