Demolition fear for Blackburn war memorial hospital wing (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Demolition fear for Blackburn war memorial hospital wing
10:00am Saturday 26th March 2011 in Blackburn
END IN SIGHT The former Blackburn Royal Infirmary
WHEN it was opened 83 years ago it was intended to be a ‘constant reminder of the men who had fallen in the war’.
But now the war memorial wing of the former Blackburn Royal Infirmary could be demolished to make way for housing.
Historians said it was ‘terrible news’ that the wing, which was built after £100,000 was donated from townspeople, could be pulled down.
However, council bosses said it was a price that had to be paid to get the development moving again.
The rest of the old infirmary has been demolished as part of plans for 253 new homes on the site.
Original plans were to retain the wing, but the scheme ground to a halt two years ago amid the credit crunch without a house being built.
Now developer John Wilson homes has approached Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council to look into pulling down the remaining building, overlooking Bolton Road, which does not have listed status.
In 1920, Blackburn Council wanted to create a memorial for those who died in the First World War.
Mayor Lawrence Cotton said it should ‘be one which would give the greatest satisfaction to the greatest number. The town’s memorial should take the form of an extension to the Royal Infirmary . . . which would be a constant reminder of the men who had fallen in the War.”
Over the next eight years, £100,000 was raised from the town, with much of it coming from cotton mills and their workers. The infirmary war memorial wing opened in 1928.
The war memorial is believed to be owned by another developer, PJ Livesey, which specalises in converting old buildings.
Its future will depend on talks between the two parties.
Since the building work started, the wing has deteriorated as it has been targeted by vandals, said Professor David Smalley, of Blackburn Civic Voice.
He added: “We cannot afford to lose a building that has such an enormous emotional attachment to people in the town.”
Coun Tony Humphrys, the executive member for regeneration, said: “We wanted to keep that section.
"It would be a shame if it was demolished, but it would be a price we would have to pay to get development moving on that land.”
David Wilson Homes and PJ Livesey did not respond to requests for a comment.
Comments(29)
ibby128
says...
10:55am Sat 26 Mar 11
Blackburn is a pretty large town and I'm sure you'll find plenty of space elsewhere!
Robbie
says...
10:58am Sat 26 Mar 11
but...
We as a country need to keep moving forward, developing, growing and this is part of that! I do think there should however be a requirement for the developer to do some kind of monument to replace the building..
The retaining wall that runs along bolton rd could have something done with it? maybe a mural on it.
GrindletonBob
says...
11:30am Sat 26 Mar 11
Have a look at this link if you want to see how wrecked it actually is:
http://www.derelictp
laces.co.uk/main/sho
wthread.php?p=157204
No reason for it to deteriorate so quickly (given there were patients in it not that long ago), other than a total lack of management by the developers. The photos confirm no owner/developer ever had any intention of converting this building. One saving grace is that all the water damage has probably minimised the risk of a fire.
Call me cynical but it appears that the developer probably wanted rid of this building from the start, but had their hands tied by the Council (and fair play to them on this one) who would only give them planning permission if they retained/converted the old building.
The developers then leave the building to rot for a few years and leave the vandals and thieves to do their work for them. Now, loe and behold, it is only fit to be demolished with what appears to be almost a threat to the Council - let us get rid of this building or we won't start the redevelopment and you'll continue to be left with an eyesore in your flagship Infirmary redevelopment zone.
useyourhead
says...
11:40am Sat 26 Mar 11
useyourhead
says...
12:18pm Sat 26 Mar 11
useyourhead wrote:and not some shoddy effort either, an expensive one, made to last, and built by local craftmen. They may build the houses with a life expectancy of thirty years (just long enough for a mortgage to be paid) but they can't be allowed to do it with this.
If over 250 homes are to go on the site and assuming there is no facility for it in the plans I think they could put a walled memorial garden/play area including maybe something like a small clock tower or something of the ilk using reclaimed masonry from the original building.
Armchair Warrior
says...
12:32pm Sat 26 Mar 11
time.team
says...
1:50pm Sat 26 Mar 11
-
Do you know, never really thought of it like that and does seem to be the situation these days. You pass these clear building sites and before you know it the houses are there completed and ready to move into. But notice how they’ve been built? The priority must be to be cheap enough to sell but still leave a large profit for the developer?
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Property should be an investment but instead these days the best option would surely be to buy an old property carefully and modernise it yourself. Then again, finding honest and skilled time served people to help you to do that these days would be your greatest problem!
useyourhead
says...
2:40pm Sat 26 Mar 11
time.team wrote:all the big developers build with 25-30 year life expectancy now, i wouldn't touch a new build with a barge pole, unless I built it myself. find a similar estate built in the 80's and most are in worse condition than the 1900 terraces. shoddy, cheap accomodation boxes, nothing more.
useyourhead, great harwood above said: “They may build the houses with a life expectancy of thirty years (just long enough for a mortgage to be paid) but they can't be allowed to do it with this”
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Do you know, never really thought of it like that and does seem to be the situation these days. You pass these clear building sites and before you know it the houses are there completed and ready to move into. But notice how they’ve been built? The priority must be to be cheap enough to sell but still leave a large profit for the developer?
-
Property should be an investment but instead these days the best option would surely be to buy an old property carefully and modernise it yourself. Then again, finding honest and skilled time served people to help you to do that these days would be your greatest problem!
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one or two 'prestige' developments are slightly better, but the prices reflect it and they still don't measure up when compared to the older ones, they should be saved wherever feasible.
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You only need look at the huge pieces of stone used for lintels in windows and doors on an older property then look at the new. urggh.
catwilly
says...
2:47pm Sat 26 Mar 11
The developers need to keep a part of the wing ..maybe the tower and spend the 2011 equivalent of the money raised all those years ago to fix it and add a nice memorial to it. It is in a good position on a nice hill overlooking part of the town and they will doubtless make a lot of money from their development.
I agree that they most likely wanted it to deteriorate so that they could eventually demolish it ..Well NO.....
It was an interesting building with architectural merit and some of it should be preserved as the LASTING memorial that it was intended to be.
Scooby
says...
3:07pm Sat 26 Mar 11
.
It's a disgrace that the Council could even consider allowing this to be demolished for a few houses. Any developer with a real interest in Blackburn would use the building and make something of it, whether it be offices, apartments, or industrial use.
.
The Council should have the guts to stand up to the developers and insist that they stand by their original plans and keep the Memorial Wing.
past it
says...
4:58pm Sat 26 Mar 11
NEEDTOKNOW
says...
5:40pm Sat 26 Mar 11
Armchair Warrior
says...
5:45pm Sat 26 Mar 11
Republican
says...
6:07pm Sat 26 Mar 11
superyob
says...
7:05pm Sat 26 Mar 11
l m h jones
says...
8:09pm Sat 26 Mar 11
Sox
says...
8:30pm Sat 26 Mar 11
Republican wrote:Sentimentality aside, I totally agree.
Come on people, get real. This building has nothing work saving. It's an eyesore and needs demolishing, then at least the site could then be developed properly and then maybe this grotty part of Blackburn could start to live again.
.
It is not a particularly attractive structure.
halfhearted
says...
10:26pm Sat 26 Mar 11
This building is owned by the people of Blackburn,and they should be consulted on its future.
Whoever the persons are who have authorised the sale of the building have done so without the legal authority from its owners.
But whoever it was will no doubt be standing on the front row when praise is heaped on our current local regiments.
Talk about double standards.
But we are talking about politicians in our so called democracy.
s_smith
says...
4:46am Sun 27 Mar 11
halfhearted wrote:I see you have no understanding of history and how the building came to be owned privately, so let me summarise it for you:
As this building was constructed by public substription from the people of blackburn,how has it ended up in the hands of a private developer.
This building is owned by the people of Blackburn,and they should be consulted on its future.
Whoever the persons are who have authorised the sale of the building have done so without the legal authority from its owners.
But whoever it was will no doubt be standing on the front row when praise is heaped on our current local regiments.
Talk about double standards.
But we are talking about politicians in our so called democracy.
.
Hospital built by local health authority, with public money.
.
War memorial Wing built by public donations.
.
NHS build new hospital with "private" money, sell off old hospital site.
.
The building was NEVER owned by the people of Blackburn; the people of Blackburn donated money to build the wing. Do those who donate money to the East Lancs Hospice roof appeal then own the roof of that building? No, clearly not and it is the same situation here.
.
It is an architecturally and historically insignificant building, occupying a site in a regeneration area. It simply has to go.
useyourhead
says...
9:42am Sun 27 Mar 11
s_smith wrote:I see your point on this, BUT if they donated while under the impression it was to build a 'constant reminder' surely the nhs was duty bound, morally if not legally, to replace it at the time of sale or ensure its future. it seems they did try but the developers have breached their agreement by failing to keep it secure and well maintained. They ought to be made to restore it no matter what it costs, It might teach them to stick to an agreement!
halfhearted wrote:I see you have no understanding of history and how the building came to be owned privately, so let me summarise it for you:
As this building was constructed by public substription from the people of blackburn,how has it ended up in the hands of a private developer.
This building is owned by the people of Blackburn,and they should be consulted on its future.
Whoever the persons are who have authorised the sale of the building have done so without the legal authority from its owners.
But whoever it was will no doubt be standing on the front row when praise is heaped on our current local regiments.
Talk about double standards.
But we are talking about politicians in our so called democracy.
.
Hospital built by local health authority, with public money.
.
War memorial Wing built by public donations.
.
NHS build new hospital with "private" money, sell off old hospital site.
.
The building was NEVER owned by the people of Blackburn; the people of Blackburn donated money to build the wing. Do those who donate money to the East Lancs Hospice roof appeal then own the roof of that building? No, clearly not and it is the same situation here.
.
It is an architecturally and historically insignificant building, occupying a site in a regeneration area. It simply has to go.
Gaz M
says...
12:10pm Sun 27 Mar 11
Mon
says...
3:10pm Sun 27 Mar 11
useyourhead
says...
3:44pm Sun 27 Mar 11
Mon wrote:It wouldn't bother me, most houses of any age have had numerous deaths (and births) associated with them, it was common practice up until maybe fifties or sixties for people not to go to hospitals or hospices. do you know the full history of where you live or have lived before?
I've lived in Blackburn all my life and didn't even know it was a War Memorial, like most people don't know what the Church Street sculptures represent. I think it would look a mess among new houses, and i certainly would'nt like to live in it knowing that thousands of people have died in it. Would you?
thoroughbred
says...
4:30pm Sun 27 Mar 11
halfhearted
says...
4:59pm Sun 27 Mar 11
Firstly there are many terms of illegal this can be criminal or immoral.
£100,000 pounds in donations at the time the building was erected was a huge amount of money. You state the memorial wing only was built with that cash,and by the way this is the largest part of that hospital.
The rest you say was from public money,this was before the introduction of the NHS. So which ever way you argue this building was owned by the people of Blackburn.
You say it is an insignificant building and should be demolished.
I grew up in that area and saw it every day,long before the extension was built,and I don't feel it is insignificant,but there again you may preach on about history but obviously don't practice it.
Remember the word Memorial.
If you had lost people in the Great War you may just think a little. Or there again if the Council or other body knocked down the headstones belonging to your members of family buried you may just comment 'Well thats progress.'
Hopping mad
says...
8:53pm Mon 28 Mar 11
thoroughbred
says...
7:43pm Tue 29 Mar 11
Hopping mad wrote:we all have pictures, but a promise to refurb is being broken, this place has been a large part of my life and yes I did live near it, my sister has done for 67 years, we've all suffered the parking fines, mainly due to BRFC not providing adequate parking, but if you're happy to see it demolished to make way for more of the poxy starter homes that attract 'cheap, chavs' to the area, rather than big plush apartments, more suited to business types, then be it on your own head, when the area is completely ruined and you're surrounded by chavs!
Take a picture and move on. Most people on here don't have to live near it. Name the estate after them, something like memorial estate and name the streets after famous battles they fought in.
Rileo
says...
1:20pm Tue 5 Apr 11
s_smith wrote:Smith? Insignificant? perhaps architecturally yes, culturally its of great significance to the town. not only due to it's domination on the local landscape, lends its name to roads, a public house and indeed an entire area of the town, but also as it serves to commemorate the memory of people's friends, fathers, grand-fathers, brothers, uncles etc who fell during the great war. Are you saying these sacrifices were insignificant? what a pillock.
halfhearted wrote:I see you have no understanding of history and how the building came to be owned privately, so let me summarise it for you:
As this building was constructed by public substription from the people of blackburn,how has it ended up in the hands of a private developer.
This building is owned by the people of Blackburn,and they should be consulted on its future.
Whoever the persons are who have authorised the sale of the building have done so without the legal authority from its owners.
But whoever it was will no doubt be standing on the front row when praise is heaped on our current local regiments.
Talk about double standards.
But we are talking about politicians in our so called democracy.
.
Hospital built by local health authority, with public money.
.
War memorial Wing built by public donations.
.
NHS build new hospital with "private" money, sell off old hospital site.
.
The building was NEVER owned by the people of Blackburn; the people of Blackburn donated money to build the wing. Do those who donate money to the East Lancs Hospice roof appeal then own the roof of that building? No, clearly not and it is the same situation here.
.
It is an architecturally and historically insignificant building, occupying a site in a regeneration area. It simply has to go.
If anyone is serious about saving this building from the wrecking ball, or knows of any organisation which is, could you please contact me regarding the details of this. After reading this forum i'm confident we could really prevent this abomination from happening.
time.team says...
10:49am Sat 26 Mar 11
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Sentimental words only!
Wars a game and those who suffer will eventually be forgotten and those who survive will do it again!
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Daft or what!