Locals are incensed at plans to demolish an historic black and white Lodge at Old Warke Dam in Worsley and to replace it with a new-build house.
Over 2,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Salford City Council’s Lead Member for Planning, Cllr Derek Antrobus, to block the move.
The Lodge sits on a public right of way in Worsley Woods.
It’s a leafy spot popular with dog walkers and ramblers, to whom the black-and-white timber-framed Lodge is a welcome sight.
The Lodge is deep in the woods at Old Warke Dam
The proposal states that the two-storey, three-bedroomed detached house “is not deemed to provide a functional family home”.
The owner Lee Plaister wants to knock it down and erect a new build in its place, just to the north east of the current property.
There have been well-documented concerns about the Lodge in recent months; concerns over a public right of way that had been reportedly blocked and new fencing which encroached on public land.
The Lodge is at the Old Warke Dam in historic woodland at Worsley Woods.
It’s a body of water with a couple of houses at its lip. Nothing too special in that description.
But it’s a beautiful place to walk.
Originally a head of water for the Bridgewater Canal, it was used as a private fishing and pleasure boating lake for Francis Egerton, the 1st Earl of Ellesmere, when all this land was under his ownership in the mid 1800s.
Old Warke Dam by Andy C via panoramio.net
Fishing spot at Old Warke Dam by Andy C via panoramio.net
By the late 1800s, with the planting of new woodland by the 3rd Earl of Ellesmere this section of the woods was used as a game reserve for deer and other woodland creatures.
It’s been a special spot for preserving nature ever since.
It’s not quite clear exactly how old the Lodge is.
Some say up to 300 years, while other sources put the Lodge as a turn of the century Arts & Crafts revival building.
That would make it only 90 to 110 years old.
The planning application explains why the owner wants to knock down the house: “Recent proposed extensions [have] proved to be uneconomic to carry out.
“It is anticipated that a new build house will satisfy solutions to the previous comments.
“However, before this can be considered, permission to demolish the existing needs to be granted.”
If passed it is proposed that work to build a new house will commence on 20 November 2017 and will be completed by 15 January 2015.
SalfordOnline.com contacted the agents Alexander Architects for comment, but a spokesperson for the firm said he would not comment on individual cases.
The property was put on the general housing in August 2013 with an asking price of £649,500 but was withdrawn shortly after.
The building itself is not Grade listed or even locally listed by Salford City Council.
As such, it’s got no special planning protection on it.
Examples of Grade listed structures in the local area are the black-and-white timbered Worsley Court House, at the M60 J13 junction roundabout, and the curved humpback Bridgewater Canal bridge at The Green in Worsley.
Locals see the Lodge as part of that historic fabric of Worsley, and can’t imagine it being knocked down for a new-build house.
In March 2016 the owner notified the council that he was going to demolish the Lodge.
On 13 April the request was logged by the council’s planning office.
In this situation, there’s nothing the council can do to block it: they have no authority or legal powers to do so.
All he had to do is simply notify the council.
All the council can do from there, if they have any objections, is to ask him to demolish the building in a certain way, for health and safety.
“The council doesn’t have the power to agree or disagree with the demolition,” Salford City Council’s Lead Member for Planning, Cllr Derek Antrobus, told SalfordOnline.com today.
“Presumably the owner won’t want to demolish the Lodge until he knows for certain he can secure permission for a new-build to replace it, otherwise he’s going to end up with an empty patch of land.”
Objections from the local community are going to be the key.
Now the pressure is on, and the race is on to block the application.
Some are starting to add their comments to object to Mr Plaister’s new-build planning application – 16/68331/FUL – at the Salford City Council planning website.
But with a determination deadline of 1st August on the new build house, even objections on this application may come too late to save the Lodge.
Instead the best advice is to try to get Historic England to list the building.
Building can be listed once they are over 10 years old.
The Lodge is not in a Conservation Area – which would give it more planning protection – and is not currently listed.
The age of the Lodge – which some believe to be 300 years old – has yet to be proven.
To get Historic England to list the Lodge, people will need to find out as much about the Lodge as possible and then head over to the Historic England website and look at the part marked: ‘How To Get Historic Buildings Listed or Protected Through Listing’.
It’s a bit of a faff, but essentially you set yourself up a ‘Heritage Passport’ then fill out an application form and submit it.
Historic England say they will look seriously at applications that have “strong potential for inclusion on the National Heritage List for England”.
Historic England’s North West office is in Manchester, if you need any more help – 0161 242 1416.
Councillor Antrobus added in an updated statement: “The council has not given permission for the building to be demolished. We have no say in the matter.
The law allows the owner of a non-listed property to demolish it. They do not need planning permission from their local council.
“By law, the council must make a decision within 28 days otherwise automatic permission is granted.
“The council by law cannot consider if the demolition is appropriate or not. If Historic England were to list the building, then there would be some protection.
“The owner of The Lodge at Old Warke Dam has submitted two planning applications, one for a new house adjacent to The Lodge, and the other for a new balcony on The Lodge building itself.
“These planning applications are currently being assessed. We understand that the owner is considering options, which we are keen to discuss further with him.
“We are aware of strong public feeling about this property, and that it should be retained because of its historic value.”
Main image by Tony Oldfield via panoramio.net
