Colchester: Call to save historic buildings

10:25am Saturday 17th May 2008

Comments (0)   Have your say »

A CALL has been made to preserve Colchester's historic buildings which are up for sale.

The County Standard revealed four properties owned by Essex County Council are on the market with a total price tag of £10 million.

Colchester MP Bob Russell has now written to Essex County Council chief executive Joanna Killian describing the sales as "asset stripping" and asking for assurances for the future of the buildings.

He has also asked if the proceeds of the sales will be spent exclusively within Colchester.

The four properties up for sale are Grey Friars adult education centre on East Hill, the education office at Park Road, East Hill House and 12 Lexden Road which is used by Colchester Archaeological Trust.

Refering to Grey Friars, Mr Russell said: "The decision to relocate adult community learning has clearly gone past the point of no return, so I just pray the county's negative attitude towards Colchester will not result in an inappropriate use and development of this building and site - ditto East Hill House almost opposite.

"I am also keeping an eagle eye on the Park Road property. Colchester needs to retain its Victorian heritage better and also prevent yet more development on what is left of open sites in urban areas."

Mr Russell also asked for Colchester Archaeological Trust to be allowed to stay at the property in Lexden Road.

He said: "I believe the county council has a duty beyond that of simply flogging off land and property and recognise there are some things which cannot be reduced to a value on the balance sheet of which proper recognition of safeguarding Colchester's heritage is an obvious example."

Philip Crummy, director of the Trust, said: "We would like to stay here - we have been here for 28 years but we are resigned to moving."The county council has been helpful and has given us a series of extensions - we are now due to leave in September.

"To be fair to the county council, we have done well out of them. Our rent has been below the market value and as we are a registered charity the council has also agreed to give us a grant to help our relocation.

"We are finding some difficulty in finding somewhere else, especially as we don't have a lot of money, but there are several options we are looking at. We feel we need to be near the town centre."

Peter Martin, deputy leader of Essex County Council, said: "The council continually reviews its property holdings and has a statutory duty to ensure properties which are surplus to requirements generate funds which can be used to benefit Essex residents.

"Over the past few years, the county council has invested millions of pounds in Colchester, not only in terms of our commitment and staff time through regeneration schemes in Colchester, but directly into prestigious projects such as the iconic firstsite arts facility, the Hythe and the cultural quarter.

"There has been a significant amount of collaborative working between the council and Colchester Council in preparing design briefs and seeking opportunities from the market. In particular, we have worked hard to secure a restaurant in East Hill House and we strongly support the view buildings should be preserved for their historical value.

"The receipts from the future sale of these buildings will be invested in appropriate new or improved facilities where the greatest level of need is identified."