Heritage & Conservation

Over the years Lancaster has suffered from bad planning decisions which have resulted in the loss of many historical buildings and distinct areas; St Stephens church flattened for Boots, Mitchell's original brewery on Church St flattened for the Vue Cinema, and the old bus depot which was a listed building, ripped apart to be ill used and renamed The Kingsway Development.

We are facing the same situation again. The Stonewell area of Lancaster is a distinct area in its own right. It contains listed buildings, hidden courts and is a conservation area. It has been neglected thanks to a weak council not taking steps to force the main property owner Mitchells to restore and make good the listed buildings which they own.

Historically it has always contained small shops or workshops and the old Yates and Jackson brewery (now owned by Mitchells). The developers propose to demolish the brewery, Stonewell, Swans Yard, St Annes Place, and the lower ends of St Leonard's Gate and Moor Lane to make way for shops and a bridge.

Links

• June 2002 - From the archive of the Bromsgrove Advertiser this letter Piano Building - a familiar tune, notes how Centros Miller ignored planners requests and unnecessarily flattened the 'Piano building' whose continued existence could have helped to maintain the traditional character of Kidderminster town centre. So much for our cultural quarter!
• ICON (Institute of Conservation)
• SAVE Britains Heritage
• English Heritage
• Georgian Group
• Victorian Society