Hospital 'not worth saving'

CAMPAIGNERS face defeat in their fight to protect part of an historic hospital from the bulldozers.

Demolition contractors have already been recruited to knock down the former Westcliffe Hospital, in Chell.

Last month a trio of councillors, Peter Kent-Baguley, Geoff Knight and Ann James, decided to fight the plans and managed to secure a review of the decision.

They argued the 100-year-old hospital, which is not listed, was a landmark building in Stoke-on-Trent, and called for its facade to be incorporated into development plans.

They were also angry the contract to carry out the work, which is budgeted to cost £1.2 million, had been awarded to London-based Brown and Mason Demolition Contractors and not a local company.

But members of Stoke-on-Trent City Council's improving communities scrutiny committee yesterday poured cold water on the campaign, after the building failed to impress them on visit to the Turnhurst Road site.

They concluded the main frontage is not worth preserving, but identified a number of features which should be retained.

These included making every effort to keep the original gates, walls and lodge, keeping six stone urns for use as decorative features and restoring the pond in front of the main building.

Councillor David Conway, chairman of the committee, pictured below, said: "We've been to have a look at the site and I couldn't see anything which suggested we should keep the facade of the building, or spend another penny down there.

"The place is loaded with asbestos which would cost £500,000 to remove. It's costing £18,000 per month for security at the site too, and I think we have wasted enough money on it.

"English Heritage have been contacted and they said they wouldn't touch the site with a barge pole and that it wasn't viable to list the building."

Following their site visit to the former hospital, councillors decided the facade of the building visible from the roadside had "little historical or decorative value."

The findings of the committee will now be presented to the council's cabinet tomorrow, when councillors are expected to make a final decision. More than 150 people had signed a petition to save the hospital.

Joan Taylor, chairman of Chell Area Residents' Association, who lives in Barber Road, said she was "bitterly disappointed" at the decision.

She said: "It's a beautiful building and it would be very sad to see it go."

The building is to be converted into 215 self-contained flats to provide extra care housing.

The hospital closed in 2007 and the control of the land has since reverted to city council.

Work will include the retention and refurbishment of some features, including the existing lodge building and access gates.