There are fears a town in Nottinghamshire has "already lost too much of its architectural heritage" as plans to demolish a Victorian heritage asset to make way for a GP surgery look set to be given the green light. Oban House on Chilwell Road, Beeston, could soon be demolished to make way for the Manor Surgery's plans.
Broxtowe Borough Council's planning officers are recommending the proposal be granted permission. It will be determined at a planning committee meeting on October 5. While the plans have come under intense scrutiny, bosses at the surgery have argued Beeston will "suffer" if the building of a larger facility is delayed any longer.
Oban House, in Chilwell Road, was built in around 1890 when Beeston had become a "boom town". The Victorian building was first used as staff quarters for management at the Anglo Scotian Mills in Wollaton Road.
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These mills had been founded by Frank Wilkinson, a lace trader and entrepreneur born in Hucknall, whose name is today embellished in Wilkinson Avenue. He employed more than 1,000 people and, at the time, it was the largest net curtain factory in Europe.
After being owned by numerous people over the years it was later sold to Beeston and Stapleford Urban District Council for £12,000, where the social services department operated until 1999. It was then later inhabited by Bridgeway Consulting.
Such historical significance has prompted stoic resistance from the Beeston Civic Society. Speaking of the recommendation chairman Tamar Feast said: "The save-Oban-House petition online actually has nearly 590 signatures, and 100-plus in person.
"Manor Surgery do not own the building, they will only be renting space. Demolition should only be a last resort. This application is not last resort but first resort.
"While Oban House itself is not a Designated Heritage Asset, the Conservation Area it sits in is. The Conservation Area it sits beside is. The listed church it looks to is.
"Loss of Oban House will significantly, detrimentally affect the Designated Heritage Asset, as a unique and distinctive detached building will be completely lost.
"There are other opportunities Manor could take for a new, expanded surgery. Indeed Cassidy Group, developers seeking to develop the Station Road car park site, approached Manor on several occasions but had no reply.
"There is also a brand new retirement village being built just along Chilwell Road and empty land behind Sainsbury’s that Broxtowe owns, which could be ideal. Extending and repurposing Oban House is definitely possible, it would be cheaper and better for the environment; another fine Victorian villa literally just over the fence from Oban House, on Devonshire Avenue was recently renovated and extended and is now worth more than £2 million.
"Assets in a Conservation Area, designated or not, should be conserved. Beeston has already lost too much of its architectural heritage - only last year the last of The Maltings (Listed buildings) were bulldozed. Oban House should not be lost too."
The Ancient Monuments Society and the Victorian Society has too objected to the plans. However while Broxtowe Borough Council’s conservation adviser acknowledged that usually an application for the demolition of a 'positive building' located in a Conservation Area would be strongly resisted, the proposed replacement is to be a doctor’s surgery and, as such, there is much greater scrutiny of the balance between harm and public benefits.
A representative for The Manor Surgery had previously said it was "stretched to the limit with our current building", adding: "It’s an exciting time for Beeston as a place to live and commute.
"We’ve got young families, older people and a lot of care homes in this area, as well as all the new builds which are being planned. If we don’t have facilities ready in two to three years’ time, Beeston will suffer.”
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