BaR News
BaR News Round-Up December 2024 - "The 12 SAVEs of Christmas"
To mark the end of a year of updates, we take a look at some stories of progress and success in "The 12 SAVEs of Christmas". In doing so, we celebrate the persistence, determination and vision of all those working to save the historic buildings and bring them back into interesting and functional uses.
Building of the Month November 2024: Ivy Cottage, Kelvin Grove, Liverpool
Ivy Cottage is a locally loved landmark building within the already famous ‘Welsh Streets’. Following SAVE’s major campaign in 2015 to revive the Welsh Streets, the streets were transferred to Manchester-based house builders, Placefirst, who have since undertaken the restoration of the neighbourhood with their heritage-led regeneration scheme. However, Ivy Cottage remains vacant and deteriorating having not yet joined the ranks of its surrounding neighbourhood as a restoration success.
Building of the Month October 2024: Essoldo Cinema, Stretford, Greater Manchester
Designed to resemble a cash register as a comment on the iniquities of the film industry, the design of this much-loved local landmark is noted by Historic England for representing 'a dramatic departure from theatre-influenced cinema planning'. A viable new use which celebrates the surviving historic features of this structure is needed urgently.
BaR News Round-up October 2024
What is the most effective approach to buildings at risk? This month SAVE wrote to the Welsh Minister for Culture to argue for making Cadw's listed building survey public. Meanwhile Historic Environment Scotland published a report into their at risk register but announced that it was pausing its work. While the debate goes on, we also have some of the latest news from the update cycle of SAVE's register and some highlights of a recent trip to Salford to talk about buildings at risk and regeneration.
Building of the Month September 2024: Granary at Kelly House, Kelly, Lifton, Devon PL16 0HH
Next to other charming listed buildings which served the nearby grade I listed country house, this granary has a dovecot above and a granary store below. It is a great example of an early 18th century estate building. It is quite capable of being repaired and deserves to be better cared for.
Buildings at Risk Round Up September 2024
Liverpool has many architectural treasures and we have followed many through the Buildings at Risk register over the years. This month we have the latest news on progress from the unexpected new use for the country's first subscription library to the regeneration of famous Littlewoods pools building as a centre for film. However, other well-known buildings such as the beautiful Everton Library and Royal London Seamen's Orphanage do not yet have viable schemes to save them and they continue to be very much at risk.
Building of the Month August 2024: Barn at the rear of the Bear Public House, the Square, Stock, Essex CM4 9LH
Not lost in a remote field or marooned in a working farmyard, this attractive curtilege listed barn stands at the heart of an attractive Essex village. Next door there is a thriving pub and other shops and businesses. Despite its poor condition, this opens up the potential for it to find a new use.
From Risk to Resource: Buildings at Risk New Entries 2024
19th June 2024: The new entries to SAVE's Buildings at Risk register, now in its 35th year, represent an urgent call to recognise these historic buildings as a resource whose character and history have real potential to benefit their communities if restored.
BaR News Round Up June 2024
The launch of the new entries to the Buildings at Risk register will take place on 19 June. We will be publishing details of more than 80 buildings nominated over the course of the year on the website on the day. In the meantime, we have some interesting updates from Herefordshire including several buildings for sale which have emerged from the on-going update work.
BaR News Round Up May 2024
Among the interesting update stories this month we have received news from Gloucestershire of a beautiful listed church with planning permission for residential conversion going on the market and new photographs of a disused station which has been on the register for many years.
BaR News Round Up April 2024
SAVE is seeking Regional Volunteer Photographers to support our Buildings at Risk Register and join the fight to save historic buildings across the UK. Please read on to find out more. Read on too for other BaR news from this month covering positive developments in Wales and Worcestershire.
BaR News Round Up March 2024
We have begun work in the West Midlands on updates to the 152 entries we currently have on the register there. In Staffordshire, there are several buildings related to lost country houses which need new uses and rescue plans as well as a number of the distinctive industrial buildings of Stoke where there are some positive developments to report.
We also have details of the annual open day on 1st April 2024 at Elmswell Old Hall in East Yorkshire.
BaR News Round up February 2024
This month we have stories from our register update in the South West of England. There are some notable buildings still with no solutions not least grade II listed Hillcrest School in Castle Cary where prolonged neglect has created an infamous local eyesore. There is also some positive news: a number of big projects are nearing completion such as Brewers Quay in Weymouth and Raglan Barracks Gatehouse in Plymouth and a few smaller projects among which, Paignton Picture House and 9 Fore Street in Chard, are progressing. Read on for more updates.
BaR News Round up January 2024
In BaR news this month, we are calling for nominations for new entries to be added to the Buildings at Risk Register later in the year. We also look at a recent new entry, the Torquay Pavilion, whose future is looking a lot brighter going into 2024 than it has for a while. Finally, we include details of a beautiful church near Tetbury in Gloucestershire which is for sale.
BaR News Round Up December 2023
We are reaching the end of our annual round of Buildings at Risk Register updates, and have been looking at the fascinating collection of buildings on the register in Wales. A number of encouraging stories stand out. Elsewhere we were delighted to hear the positive funding news for the vast Tonedale Mills site in Somerset. Another huge industrial site, this time in Derbyshire, Strutt's Mills in Belper is conducting a public consultation about alternative uses. Read more about all these stories in our December news Round Up.
Building of the Month December 2023: The Old Farmhouse, 39 Mount Pleasant Road, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 0EG
Standing on this site since at least the 17th century, this farmhouse has served as a pub for the last 200 years. Now it desperately needs a new use to ensure that it survives and that its historic beauty can be fully appreciated. Currently, it lies largely obscured behind a collection of vehicles.
BaR News Round Up November 2023
This month sees the addition of 18 buildings in Manchester, Rochdale and Oldham to the online Buildings at Risk Register following the publication of our newest report Boom not Bust: How Manchester can build the future without destroying its past. Meanwhile our register update work in the East and South East of England has revealed a range of stories from the inspiring revival of the Observer Building in Hastings, East Sussex and the promising beginnings of the project to restore the former Town Hall in Lowestoft, Suffolk, to the demolition threat to the Art Deco fronted Regent Cinema in Deal, Kent.
Building of the Month November 2023: Former St Andrews Asylum, Northside, Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich, Norfolk NR7 0HT
This unlisted portion of a former hospital in Norfolk has recently suffered a fire but its clear character and attractive design call for its potential reuse to receive serious and urgent consideration. A listed wing has already been converted into apartments.
Buildings at Risk: New Entries in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale
Following the publication of "Boom not Bust: How Manchester can build the future without destroying its past", we are adding to our Buildings at Risk Register new entries identified by the report's authors in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale. These 18 buildings, listed below, are all at risk of dereliction or demolition, avoidable outcomes which would rob their communities of local landmarks that connect them to their past and which hold the key to economic and social revival if restored and reused. More detail on each building can be found on the online Buildings at Risk Register which is available to Friends of SAVE.
BaR News Round up October 2023
This month we bring you news from the east: Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Kent and Norfolk plus a couple of interesting buildings we have been notified that are for sale. Our update stories this month include the proposals for Great Grimsby Ice Factory, a new start for some public toilets, the hole in the roof of one of the most impressive cinemas in the country and enforcement action in Leicestershire.
Building of the Month August 2023: The Mechanics Institute, 4-8 Cross Green, Otley, West Yorkshire, LS21 1AL
The Mechanics Institute is a handsome gem within the town of Otley dating back to 1870. Despite its rich and diverse past, it is currently in desperate need and has been the target of a number of unsympathetic planning applications.
BaR News Round up August 2023
We have had a number of positive stories emerge from our updates of the register in Yorkshire including plans to reuse the Ship House in Saltburn by the Sea and the near completion of the restoration project at Haltemprice Priory Farm. Following the success of our recent Building’s at Risk Launch last month, we continue to receive nominations and to add buildings to the register including the impressive Otterden Place. Read more below to find out about its fascinating history.
To see full entries and use the search facilities on the register, it is necessary to be a Friend or Saviour. We also regularly write about entries in BaR News to give a snapshot of both positive and negative changes on the register.
Building of the Month July 2023: Moor Houses Farmhouse, near Allendale, Northumberland, NE47 9DW
Standing in beautiful, open moorland, this collection of historic farm buildings is thought to have been abandoned. Surviving bastle houses of this age are relatively rare so a rescue for these ruined buildings would be a significant save.
BaR News Round-up July 2023
The annual launch of new entries to our Buildings at Risk register on June 28th was a lively and interesting event that attracted a good deal of both national and regional press coverage. The overall message that we should reuse our historic buildings to preserve them resonated strongly. Also in this month's news round-up, we highlight a number of buildings on the register which are for sale.
Reuse Me, Don't Lose Me: 2023 Buildings at Risk New Entries List
SAVE Britain's Heritage is today adding nearly 70 new entries to our Buildings at Risk register, bringing the total number of empty historic buildings at risk of demolition or dereliction on the register to over 1,400. This article provides a handy snapshot of the new entries.
Full entries appear on the online register which is available to Friends and Saviours of SAVE. Click here to join SAVE.
Reuse Me, Don't Lose Me - 2023 Launch of Buildings at Risk with guest speakers
Join us to mark the launch of more than 60 new additions to our Buildings at Risk Register. Hear from our Buildings at Risk Officer with highlights from the new entries and three guest speakers who have nominated buildings this year about why their building matters and what they hope can be done to bring them back into use.
Building of the Month June 2023: Anton Laundry, 24 Marlborough Street, Andover, Hampshire SP10 1DQ
The Anton Laundry, which stands near the banks of the river Anton, in Andover has a fascinating history dating from the 15th century. The grade II listed building is in a very poor condition after long neglect and multiple fires and needs targeted action.
BaR News Round up June 2023
We are looking forward to the launch of new entries on the register on June 28th, but in the meantime, our work to update the register and campaign for the buildings on it continues. Here are some of the stories from the last month.
To see full entries and use the search facilities on the register, it is necessary to be a Friend or Saviour. We also regularly write about entries in BaR News to give a snapshot of both positive and negative changes on the register.
Building of the Month May 2023: Primitive Methodist Chapel, Queen Street, Gillingham, Dorset SP8 4DZ
This distinctive, unlisted Primitive Methodist Chapel has been neglected for a number of years but had permission for conversion to flats. It stands on a pleasant road in the centre of the town which is near to Shaftesbury, Bruton and beautiful countryside.
BaR News Round Up April 2023
This month we added the 1920s Bronllys Hospital Chapel in Powys to the online Buildings at Risk Register and we completed updates for various areas in the West Midlands. Read on to discover some of the interesting new stories which have emerged.
There are some more good stories from our ongoing update of the register. There are new plans for the Northlights Building in Tuckingmill, Cornwall which has been on the register since 1998 and Brewer's Quay in Weymouth has a proposal which is under consideration.
To see full entries and use the search facilities on the register, it is necessary to be a Friend or Saviour. We also regularly write about entries in BaR News to give a snapshot of both positive and negative changes on the register.
Building of the Month March 2023: Eccleston Park Golf Club, Rainhill Road, St Helens, The Wirral, L35 4PG
This unlisted Victorian farmhouse is one of the only buildings which survive from the Rainhill County Asylum. It found a second life as a golf clubhouse but now it is standing empty as the future of the wider site remains undecided.
BaR News Round-Up March 2023
There are some good stories emerging from our update of the register in the South West. There are new plans for the Northlights Building in Tuckingmill, Cornwall which has been on the register since 1998 and Brewer's Quay in Weymouth has a proposal which is under consideration. By contrast, there are several buildings, including a couple which are grade I and II* listed, which are still without progress.
To see full entries and use the search facilities on the register, it is necessary to be a Friend or Saviour. We also regularly write about entries in BaR News to give a snapshot of both positive and negative changes on the register.
Urgent SOS for unique "outsider art" flat facing obliteration
Ron's Place is an exceptional fantasy world created by resident and "outsider artist", Ron Gittins, in his ground floor flat in a Victorian house in Birkenhead. It is a magical and also poignant place reflecting Ron's use of art as an outlet for his mental health issues and as a means of self-expression. Ron had little formal training, hence the tag "outsider art". Despite supporters such as Jarvis Cocker, it is now at risk of obliteration after the landlord put the house up for auction on 1st March 2023.
BaR News Round-Up - February 2023
The annual update of the register has kicked off this month in the South West and we have a number of interesting stories to report and some notable successes.
To see full entries and use the search facilities on the register, it is necessary to be a Friend or Saviour. We also regularly write about entries in BaR News to give a snapshot of both positive and negative changes on the register.
New Entry: Jacob's Wells Baths, Jacob's Wells Road, Bristol, BS8 1DX
New entry February 2023: These splendid Victorian baths which were built to serve the surrounding streets of working class houses are likely to be disposed of by the Council to raise funds. Currently disused and in a deteriorating condition, a local community group is keen to take it on to serve as a much-needed community hub.
New Entry: 29 and 29A Castle Street, Oxford OX1 1LJ
New entry February 2023: "Hiding in plain sight" is the phrase that springs to mind when your attention is drawn to this diminutive and modest looking building, standing on a busy shopping street near the site of Oxford Castle. It is clearly a historic building but the date of its true origins appears to have been overlooked by the public record.
Building of the Month February 2023: 1 High Street, Weobley, Herefordshire HR4 8SL
In the picturesque Herefordshire village of Weobley, on the High Street lined with timbered buildings, this crumbling cottage stands out as a result of its neglected state. It needs some love and attention to repair it and bring it back to life.
SAVE ADDS CARLISLE’S TURKISH BATHS TO AT RISK REGISTER DUE TO URGENT RISK
SAVE has placed Carlisle’s Turkish Baths on its Buildings at Risk Register and written to the Leader of Carlisle City Council to request urgent action to secure the future of this grade II listed building and its beautifully detailed, unusually intact and rare interiors.
Building of the Month December 2022: Ricketts Castle, Presteigne Road, Titley, Kington, Herefordshire HR5 3RS
Full of character, this ruined cottage, set back from a country road, has had permission for extension and restoration in the past. It needs love and attention but could be transformed into a desirable, well-loved home once again.
Carlisle Turkish Baths, James Street, Carlisle, Cumbria CA2 5AH
New Entry November 2022: Carlisle Public Baths and Washhouse opened in 1884; the Turkish Baths were added in 1909 and a ladies’ waiting room and slipper baths opened in 1920 to complete the Public Baths. Despite its relatively restrained red brick exterior, the interior of the Turkish Baths is a delightfully lavish confection of tiling and glazed faience by Minton Hollins of Stoke with terrazzo flooring and marble bench tops. This interior has been altered very little since it opened and the listing entry notes its rarity.
Building of the Month November 2022: Huyton Cricket and Bowling Club Pavilion, Huyton Lane, Knowsley, Liverpool L36 7XD
A remarkable monument to grassroots sport and a beautiful building in itself, grade II listed Huyton Cricket and Bowling Club Pavilion has escaped demolition so far due to strong local support. It needs a coordinated scheme to bring it back into meaningful use.
Pencerrig, Llanelwedd, Llandrindod Road, Powys LD2 3TF
New Entry October 2022: Pencerrig is an 18th century country house extensively remodelled in the 1830s in an attractive neo-gothic style and set among the Radnorshire hills. It was the home of the notable 18th century Welsh landscape painter, Thomas Jones (1742-1803), who landscaped the parkland and painted many local scenes.
BaR News Round-up - October 2022
Our update of entries in Wales has produced a huge range of fresh information, with a number of promising projects in train, news of a huge and historic site for sale and several other buildings looking for new owners and new uses. In this article, we highlight some of these new stories.
We have also added a new entry in Wales, the fascinating and once lovely, Pencerrig in Powys, which you can read more about here.
Building of the Month October 2022: Primitive Methodist Church, Church Street, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham TS18 1TW
Ripe for revival: the exterior of this Victorian church has been whitewashed obscuring the original polychromatic brick design. Studded with gargoyles on the façade, this building has great character and stands on a street of handsome Georgian houses. Restoration and reuse of this striking and useful building would undoubtedly enhance this central part of Stockton.
BaR News Round-Up - September 2022
Bringing our review of entries on the Buildings at Risk Register in England to a close for this year, we have been updating entries in the North East and South East during August. Here we highlight a few stories of interest including some buildings for sale, but entries can be read in full by logging in to the register. In September, we will be moving on to review the 143 entries in Wales.
Building of the Month August 2022: Studley Grange Farmhouse, Cancourt, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN4 9QS
Amongst our new entries for 2022, this Grade II listed farmhouse is currently recorded as being 18th century at the earliest, however it is now believed to be much earlier in date. It is in desperate need of repair and needs new ideas to restore it back to its former glory.
Building of the Month July 2022: The Lady in Grey, Wilne Lane, Shardlow, Derbyshire DE72 2HA
Among our new entries for June 2022, this romantically named house was most recently a restaurant and hotel but has now been empty for at least five years. It needs new impetus and new ideas to bring it back into useful life.
SAVE Me, I'm Yours! 2022 Launch of new Buildings at Risk and Guest Speaker
You are warmly invited to join us for our first gathering for two years to take a sneak peek at over 50 new additions to our online Buildings at Risk Register. Liz Fuller, our Buildings at Risk Officer, will preview some of the most interesting new entries and guest speaker Dr Joanne O'Hara, Programme Director - Heritage at Risk at Somerset West and Taunton Council, will talk about the challenges of buildings at risk and what can be done to bring them back into use.
BaR News Round-up June 2022
Updating the 100 or so entries in Yorkshire during May has revealed some positive progress on some larger projects which we report on here. We have noted however that smaller projects, even where planning approval has been obtained, appear to be taking longer to get started.
Building of the Month May 2022 - Goole Arcade, North Street and Victoria Street, Goole, East Yorkshire DN14 5PY
Spanning a whole block in the central conservation area of this East Yorkshire port town, the Arcade is a late Victorian shopping arcade which has been disused for years despite its great interest and potential.
Building of the Month February 2022: Hillcrest School and former stables, Ansford Hill, Ansford, Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7JQ
Homework due now to save this former rectory and stables, latterly used as a school. Empty and on our radar for years, these rural buildings just outside the Somerset town of Castle Cary remain inexplicably uncared for and without viable proposals to bring them back to life.
Building of the Month - January 2022: The Tolly Cobbold, Cliff Quay, Cliff Road, Ipswich, Suffolk
During the years in which this distinctive Ipswich brewery building has been standing empty, it has suffered fires and vandalism despite having had outline permission in the past for a mixed use development. Action now could secure its future.
Building of the Month December 2021: 27 Queen Street, Derby, Derbyshire DE1 3DS
Will time run out for this house turned clock workshop with stellar connections? With links to the first Astronomer Royal, Joseph Wright of Derby and the clock of St Paul's Cathedral, this 17th century building has survived a number of traumas including permission to demolish it. It needs a new use if it is to survive any longer.
Building of the Month November 2021: Anton Laundry, 24 Marlborough Street, Andover, Hampshire SP10 1DQ
The Anton Laundry, which stands near the banks of the river Anton in Andover, has a fascinating history dating from the 15th century. The grade II listed building on the site is in a very poor condition after long neglect and needs targeted action now. The clock is ticking.
Building of the Month September 2021: Sandfield Tower, Queen's Drive, Liverpool
After years of neglect, progress towards a possible new start for this fine Victorian Villa has stalled yet again, as the council's efforts to force repairs and potentially find a new owner were shelved last year due to lack of funds.
Building of the Month May 2021: Rockwell Green Water Towers, Rockwell Green, Somerset TA21 9DH
If you were as inspired as we were by George Clarke's account of revival and reuse, including several water towers, in his recent lecture for SAVE, why not consider what could be done with these two impressive but neglected examples in Somerset?
Building of the Month April 2021: Former Home Guard Club, 4 Belford Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 1JA
Cottage hospital, masonic lodge, Home Guard club, this distinctive building in Harrogate's central conservation area has a rich history. Saved from destruction after a spirited local campaign with council support, it is now on the market and needs new owners who appreciate its significance to revitalise this local treasure.
Building of the Month March 2021: Bransford Mill, Bransford, Worcestershire, WR5 6JL
Time is running out for this listed mill which is in a perilous condition after years of inaction and neglect. Located between Malvern and Worcester, this mill building stands in the grounds of a house which is for sale.
Building of the Month January 2021 - Albert Hall, Swansea
Swansea's Albert Hall opened in 1864 as a music hall which was visited by some of the big names in Victorian society including Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde and David Lloyd George. Having stood standing empty and deteriorating since 2007, the grade II listed hall was sold earlier this year with exciting plans announced for conversion as a new music venue and offices.
PRESS RELEASE: From the functional to the fantastic - SAVE launches new entrants to 2021 Buildings at Risk Register
SAVE Britain's Heritage will reveal the new 2021 list of buildings at risk to be added to its online register on 18th November 2020 to highlight the threats to neglected historic buildings all over the country. In advance of our live online event , which will preview a selection of the new list of additions before they are added to the register, some examples can be seen below.
Building of the Month October 2020: Pelican Works, Great Hampton Street, Birmingham
Atop the Italianate front of this Birmingham Jewellery Quarter factory perches a giant pelican, a symbol of the company which originally built it to manufacture silver goods. Its rear factory range has partially collapsed. This distinctive and attractive building needs comprehensive help now.
Building of the Month - September 2020: Scalegill Hall & Barn, near Whitehaven
Located near the village of Moor Row in the West Cumbrian countryside, Scalegill Hall is a grade II listed building dating from the 17th century. It stands empty and neglected but still retains much of its original fabric and features.
Buildings at Risk: recent update news from Wales - September 2020
August has seen the 150 or so Buildings at Risk entries in Wales fully updated. The update has identified a number of buildings that have been saved, as well as many promising schemes, including proposals to restore Swansea’s striking Victorian Palace Theatre (pictured above). Several buildings are also currently for sale, while others have been left empty and deteriorating.
Buildings at Risk: update news from the East of England - August 2020
Our recent East of England update covered almost 200 buildings at risk, including 56 in Essex alone, the most in any county on our register. Across the region, the update has identified a number of buildings that have been saved and schemes that now have approval to move forward, but many sites remain derelict and left to crumble. There are also a few buildings currently for sale waiting for a new owner to rescue them.
Building of the Month August 2020: Elton Mill, Elton, Cambridgeshire
This Cambridgeshire mill needs a new use to match its picturesque location. It is an important part of Elton’s long history, though it has been left vacant and redundant for a long time and is increasingly at risk of rapid deterioration and loss of fabric. It sits within a popular recreation area and needs some fresh ideas to give it a new purpose.
Buildings at Risk: recent update news from the East Midlands - July 2020
The successful conversion of a number of industrial buildings in the East Midlands have been revealed in our recent update of buildings at risk in this area. Across the region, the update has also highlighted schemes about to move forward but many sites are still looking for fresh ideas and impetus. A few are for sale and could make fascinating and unique projects.
New Entry: Seighford Hall, Staffordshire to be auctioned 23rd June 2020
Seighford Hall, a stunning grade II listed country house standing in over 15 acres of landscaped grounds, has been empty for many years and is in a deteriorating condition. It is due to be auctioned on 23rd June 2020 with a guide price of £275,000.
PRESS RELEASE: Buildings at Risk for sale - Buyers Wanted!
This fascinating collection of buildings from our Buildings at Risk Register are all for sale. If you ever wanted to find the perfect project, now's your chance! Many of these historic buildings already have some approved plans in place as to how they could be saved. What is needed now are discerning owners to turn those plans into reality...
Buildings at Risk: Recent Successes from the South West - May 2020
As part of our ongoing update of the Buildings at Risk register, we have just completed our review of 217 entries in the South West. Of these updates, we have recorded 61 rescues - that's 28% of the entries we held. To continue our series of stories behind these successes and some cases where work is just beginning, we look at a few examples here.
Building of the Month May 2020: Island House, Laugharne, Carmarthenshire
After many years of neglect and advancing decay, 16th century Island House, a rambling and romantic building standing next to the ruins of Laugharne Castle on the Taf Estuary, has just been acquired by a company. It has plans to restore it and convert it into a boutique hotel, restaurant and bar. This will be a fascinating project to follow.
Building of the Month April 2020: Hill Farm, Badingham Road, Peasenhall, Suffolk
This early 17th century grade II listed Suffolk farmhouse is in poor condition but has the potential to make a generous and beautiful home. It needs new occupants with vision and compassion to breathe life into it again.
Grand Hotels And Tiny Toll Houses - Inspiring Stories From SAVE Britain’s Heritage Buildings At Risk Register.
27th March 2020
As part of the update of the SAVE Britain’s Heritage Buildings at Risk Register, we have completed a review of all 177 entries in the West Midlands region. Cheeringly, we've been able to record rescues in 45 of these entries - that's 25% of the entries we held. Here we celebrate what can be done with great determination, vision and hard work through three successful rescues.
Building of the Month March 2020: Agecroft Chapel, Northern Cemetery, Salford
Community service: this highly individual cemetery chapel could serve again. New energy and determination is needed now to take the good work already done to save this building to the next stage. Agecroft Chapel could be restored to provide facilities to the many users of this cemetery. Can you help?
Round-up of recent successes - February 2020
As part of our on-going update of the register, we have just completed the review of all 177 entries in the West Midlands region. This covers Birmingham and Coventry and the surounding towns and country areas as well as Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire. We recorded rescues in 45 of those cases - that's 25% of the entries we held - but there were 9 losses (5%). As the first part in a series of articles highlighting the stories behind those successes, we look at four buildings in Worcestershire.
Waterloo House, Runcorn faces demolition
An unlisted but key historic building in Runcorn is being threatened with demolition. It stands very close to and is partially joined to another building on the Buildings at Risk Register, the grade II listed Carnegie Library. SAVE has objected to the demolition and considers Waterloo House to be an important local building very worthy of being saved.
Buildings at Risk success stories
Every year we include in the Buildings at Risk Catalogue a section covering some successful restorations we have recorded during the year. Here is one example in Liverpool which appears in the 2019 catalogue we have just published: 60 Seel Street/30 Slater Street, Liverpool
Book launch and exhibition: Buildings at Risk Catalogue launch and "SAVE", an exhibition of paintings of buildings at risk
SAVE Britain's Heritage invites you to join us to view "SAVE", an exhibition of new paintings of endangered buildings by the highly regarded painter, Gerard Stamp and to celebrate 30 years of SAVE reports on buildings at risk with the launch of the latest volume, "Don't Leave Me This Way" from 6.30-8.30 p.m. on 25th June.
Building of the Month June 2019: Alfoxton House, Holford, Somerset
It's for sale, has poetic links and a lovely setting but this house needs saving. Alfoxton was built in 1710 and famously accommodated William Wordsworth 1797-98 who was visited there by Coleridge. Empty for many years, it now needs owners with energy and determination to bring it back to its past beauty and usefulness.
Building of the Month May 2019: Graylingwell Farmhouse, Chichester, West Sussex
Handsome Gralingwell Farmhouse, built in the 18th century, has been left poorly defended against the elements despite on-going development around it which should have seen it restored. This needs to be addressed to prevent further deterioration.
System update: help us add to and update the Buildings at Risk register
Do you know of any historic buildings standing empty and decaying that should be added to the SAVE Buildings at Risk register? Have you spotted a building that already appears on our register but is now in a different condition than we describe?
SAVE is starting the search for buildings at risk to appear in our 2019- 2020 Buildings at Risk Catalogue and we would like to hear from you. We are also conducting an update of the register and would welcome any news on existing entries.
Hull's Cornmill Hotel set to reopen
In 2012, the Cornmill Hotel was a derelict building near the centre of Hull, a magnet for vandalism. It appeared in SAVE's 2012 Buildings at Risk catalogue, "Dare to Care" and Hull City Council's planning committee said its renovation should be a priority. Nearly five years on, the hotel is set to reopen after an extensive renovation programme.
Buildings at Risk Catalogue 2017-2018: call for new entries
Do you know of any buildings at risk? You may pass them every day and watch them standing empty and slowly crumbling. If so, please let us know. We are starting our annual search for new buildings at risk to appear in our 2017- 2018 buildings at risk catalogue, to be published next year.
Success story: long empty quayside workshops converted to award winning technical college
We were delighted to hear that the Carpenter's and Marine warehouses on Railway Quay in Newhaven, East Sussex had been converted. These buildings had been disused for many years and had been on our buildings at risk register for 7 years. Known as UTC@harbourside, the conversion won an award from the Sussex Heritage Trust in July 2016. Designed by HKS Architects, and built by Kier Construction, they house a fully equipped engineering suite, science super-lab, computer suite and business zone.
Press release: SAVE to publish 2016-17 buildings at risk catalogue Great Expectations on 27 June
SAVE's 2016-17 Buildings at Risk Catalogue will be published on 27th June 2016 and this year features a fascinating selection of buildings including a number of cinemas and theatres as well as a WWII Women's Land Army Hostel, a Pumping Station and a gothic gatehouse.
SAVE publishes 2015-16 buildings at risk catalogue Falling In Love, marking 25 years of SAVE's buildings at risk reports
Available from the 22nd June. Pre order now.
Press Release: Cherish the Terrace – Turner Prize nomination is a deliverance from demolition
SAVE Britain’s Heritage congratulates the Turner Prize panel’s recognition that Victorian terraced streets are true works of art: this nomination of Liverpool’s Granby area for the prestigious award represents a deliverance for terraced housing in the north of England, long tainted by the shadow of demolition.
Press Release: Gateshead Council ignores judicial review proceedings and commences demolitions in Bensham and Saltwell. SAVE seeks an injunction.
Yesterday evening the demolition of terraced housing on Westminster Street near Saltwell Park, Newcastle began. At stake are 290 houses in the wider area whose demolition was given permission this summer by Gateshead Council.
Pickles calls Public Inquiry into Welsh Streets Application – but does not call in similar application in Gateshead.
SAVE Britain’s Heritage welcomes yesterday’s government announcement of a Public Inquiry into controversial housing demolitions in Liverpool’s famous ‘Welsh Streets’, birthplace of Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. SAVE regrets that the government has chosen not to call in a similar application in Gateshead
Press Release: Seafield House, Ayr, is put back on the market potentially heralding a new chapter in the life of this important building
Seafield House, Ayr, the former residence of renowned Scottish engineer Sir William Arrol, is put back on the market, potentially heralding a new chapter in the life of this important building. SAVE appeals to the local authority to ensure the right outcome for the house is reached.
SAVE welcomes Eric Pickles move to consider Public Inquiry on Planning Decision for Welsh Streets, Liverpool
SAVE Britain’s Heritage welcomes Eric Pickles’ rapid decision to suspend demolition of 440 homes in Liverpool’s Welsh Streets area. Pickles’ intervention provides a much needed chance to establish a fair solution for an historic neighbourhood left boarded up by a failed regeneration programme.
Press Release: Pathfinder continues in Liverpool where planning permission is granted to demolish 440 terraced houses on the Welsh Streets - SAVE demands Public Inquiry.
Liverpool Council grants Housing Association, Plus Dane, permission to demolish 440 houses on the Welsh Streets, Toxteth, Liverpool - a continuation of Pathfinder-scale demolition 18 months after the Government officially called an end to the destructive policy.
Press Release: City grants itself permission to gut Smithfield General Market - SAVE asks the Secretary of State for a Call In.
Today in London’s Guildhall the Planning and Transportation Committee voted 19 to 2 to give planning permission to a controversial proposal from Henderson Global Investors to gut the handsome market halls of the Smithfield General Market.
Press Release: Jessops Hospital, Sheffield - Court of Appeal Ruling
Yesterday in the Court of Appeal, SAVE Britain’s Heritage and the Victorian Society established the correct interpretation of the crucial and controversial paragraph 133 of National Planning Policy. However on the facts of this particular case we failed to secure permission for Judicial Review into Sheffield Council’s decision to grant permission to Sheffield University to demolish the Grade 2 listed Jessops Hospital, to make way for a new engineering block.
Press Release: SAVE Britain's Heritage and the Victorian Society Join Forces in an Attempt to Save Jessops Hospital in Sheffield
The Victorian Society and SAVE Britain's Heritage have issued joint Judicial Review proceedings with the aim of saving the Grade II listed Edwardian Jessop Hospital building from demolition, that was granted to the University by Sheffield City Council.
Private Eye on English Heritage's Volte-face over Smithfield
Private Eye's latest issue (No. 1339, 3rd May) carries an article criticising English Heritage's stance on Smithfield. I never seen best panerai replica watch ever!
Friends of Seafield House Film Presents Robust Case for Restoration
Produced by Elgato Film Productions for the Friends of Seafield House, SAVE is pleased to publicize a short film highlighting the robust case for saving Seafield House, the former home of pioneering engineer and bridge builder Sir William Arrol.
Sheffield City Council approves demolition of Grade II listed Edwardian Jessop Hospital despite objections from the heritage sector
SAVE objects to Sheffield City Council's decision to allow Sheffield University to demolish Grade II Listed Edwardian Jessop Hospital building, subject to approval by Secretary of State, Eric Pickles.
Character of Dalston, East London threatened by recent planning application
SAVE is concerned by plans for a new development on Dalston Lane, Dalston, East London. Dalston is an area of intensive development and its heritage assets are at risk of being swamped. SAVE considers the application to be harmful to the area and is therefore objecting. We urge you to consider doing the same!
Renewed hope for 59 and 61 East Street, Southend, Essex as they are saved from demolition!
A pair of late 19th-century houses in the Prittlewell Conservation Area in Southend, Essex listed on Essex County Council's Buildings at Risk Register have been saved from demolition giving renewed hope for the future of 59 and 61 East Street.
Update on Winstanley Hall campaign
The campaign to save Winstanley Hall and the fine complex of courtyard buildings adjacent continues. SAVE, together with the owner of the site, has applied to English Heritage and the Country House Foundation for grant money to fund emergency works to the listed courtyard buildings. Please read on to find out more and please continue to support us!
Government-funded Pathfinder-style demolitions continue in Liverpool, despite announcements about bringing empty homes back into use
Liverpool Council today announced that £14million was at last going to be spent on bringing hundreds of empty homes back into use in the city. However, SAVE can reveal almost three times as many empty homes will still be demolished, paid for by this money.
SAVE alternative scheme for Smithfield General Market announced
Launched last night, the 14th of October, at Alan Baxter and Associates' - a conservation-led scheme for one of the most important empty historic buildings in London today, Smithfield General Market: click the PDF report below to see full text and drawings.
Edwardian former mental hospital saved from demolition
A model Edwardian hospital of 1900 designed by London architects Giles Gough and Trollope set in rolling green fields on the lower slopes of the Brecon Beacons National Park has been saved from demolition by the unanimous vote of members of the planning committee of the National Park Authority. For over ten years the handsome stone-built hospital buildings have looked increasingly doomed as they have been vandalised and left to rot.
New Book, Historic Environment Law by Barrister Richard Harwood
A new book, Historic Environment Law by barrister Richard Harwood, who has won several key cases for SAVE Britain's Heritage, will be published on October 12th and is available at a discounted price until that date.
Coverage in the Observer about Liverpool and Pathfinder Campaign
SAVE was featured in an article about Liverpool and the Pathfinder campaign on 23 September 2012 in the Observer newspaper.
Watch SAVE Director, Clem Cecil, on BBC North West in Liverpool, talking about recent High Court ruling on transitional funds
Watch SAVE Director, Clem Cecil, on BBC North West in Liverpool on 20 September talking about the recent High Court ruling (18 September) on Pathfinder transitional funds
TWO VICTORIES AGAINST THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN THE HIGH COURT FOR SAVE BRITAIN'S HERITAGE
SAVE Britain's Heritage has won two major high court rulings in their decade-long campaign to end housing destruction in the north of England, both of which will potentially save thousands of homes from the bulldozer and bring in a new era of neighbourhood refurbishment.
SAVE calls on the new Housing Minister to support new proposals that champion Liverpool's Welsh Streets.
SAVE calls on the new Housing Minister to support new proposals that champion Liverpool's Welsh Streets.
The London We Love: SAVE Britain's Heritage's ongoing London campaigns
London has been the centre of world attention for the last few weeks, its culture and buildings celebrated. Many of these buildings, some of them iconic and internationally known, others important as anchors of local community, are under threat. In the coming year SAVE is going to be compiling a report of buildings at risk in London; we open our campaign with a short list of sites of concern to us now.
RINGO'S BIRTHPLACE BECOMES FIG-LEAF FOR CONTINUING DEMOLITION IN LIVERPOOL'S WELSH STREETS
SAVE Britain's Heritage and the Empty Homes Charity are dismayed by the tokenism of Housing Minister Grant Shapps and Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson who are saving Ringo Starr's birthplace and a handful of other homes on his street, while allowing the demolition of hundreds of nearby homes.
New SAVE Report: Pathfinder and the Destruction of Liverpool
The £2.2bn Pathfinder programme continues to wreak havoc in northern towns and cities, long after its funding has been stopped. Focussing on Liverpool, this report documents the latest episode in a heartbreaking tale of misery, waste and destruction.
House of Scottish Great Threatened with Demolition on 100th Anniversary of his Death
The former home of Sir William Arrol (1839-1913), one of the greatest civil engineering contractors in history and a major figure in Scottish culture, may soon face demolition, pending a decision by South Ayrshire Council this month.
New SAVE Report: London's Churches are Fighting Back
In 1985 SAVE published the report London's Churches are Falling Down, revealing the desperate plight of some of the capital's most beautiful places of worship. A quarter of a century on, SAVE revisits the subject with London's Churches are Fighting Back.
SAVE Blog - 21 Madryn Street: the house that refused to die
In May 2011 SAVE bought 21 Madryn Street in Liverpool in an effort to thwart council plans to flatten the house and hundreds around it. This new blog follows the story of the renovation of the property, which is a few doors down from the birthplace of Rin
Saving Thanet: The Architecture of Kent's Forgotten Coast
The rich architectural heritage of the north eastern tip of Kent is the focus of this new SAVE report. The report takes a fresh look at the Isle of Thanet, with its towns of Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs, assessing the state of the area's historic
Newsletter - May 2011
Catch up with the latest news on SAVE campaigns, including the landmark judgment on demolition and the battle to SAVE Liverpool's Welsh Streets from the bulldozers.
Pathfinder's Shameful Legacy Exposed in Devastating New SAVE Report
SAVE Britain's Heritage has published a devastating verdict on the discontinued Housing Market Renewal (HMR) Pathfinder programme. In a new report 'Housing Scandal! Pathfinder: a Post-Mortem', SAVE attacks both the legacy of the programme and the machiner
Secretary of State Issues Notice Stalling Liverpool's Demolition Plans
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has issued Liverpool Council with an Article 25 Direction forbidding them to give consent for demolishing the Welsh Streets until he has considered a request by SAVE to require a full environmental assessment ...
New SAVE E-Report - Don't let them bulldoze Barry's Brighton Hospital
Brighton's Royal Sussex County Hospital, an early and important work by the giant of British architecture, Sir Charles Barry, is threatened with destruction by the area's NHS Trust. SAVE Britain's Heritage has compiled this emergency report as part of ...
Could your restoration project feature in a new TV series?
A TV company, making a new BBC Two series 'Restoration Home', is looking for owners who are about to undertake the restoration of their period home.
Colchester, Back to the Future
Colchester is one of England's most overlooked historic county towns. SAVE aims to highlight the wealth of Colchester's built heritage.
Save money when you buy our latest 2 reports
Buy our 2 latest reports for £25 plus p&p. Download the attached flyer for further details.
Newsletter - September 2008
SAVE Announces Alternative Scheme for Lancaster's Canal Corridor
As the developer behind Lancaster's controversial Canal Corridor redevelopment pulls out of a forthcoming Public Inquiry, SAVE Britain's Heritage reveals its own blueprint for the regeneration of the historic Canal Corridor area of the city.
Pickles Deals Huge Blow to Welsh Streets Demolition Plans
Huge blow for council's plans to flatten historic neighbourhood as Secretary of State rules that Welsh Streets demolition should be subject to Environmental Impact Assessment
Dare to Care: SAVE's Latest 'Lonely Hearts' List of Buildings at Risk
SAVE's new Buildings at Report 'Dare to Care' shines the light on historic properties in urgent need of new owners or fresh uses, revealing an array of exciting opportunities for restorers. This is the ultimate 'lonely hearts' list for buildings at risk.