Date published: 2007/05/02
The Cambridge Evening News says:
Campaigners are trying to stop a historic city school being demolished.
Developers want to demolish the Milton Road School building in Cambridge and build a care home and flats in its place.
The building, which dates from 1908, was used as a school until last summer when pupils moved to a new one nearby.
Residents are unhappy about losing the landmark. Campaign leaflets are being distributed in the Milton Road area.
The leaflet reads: "This is a lovely building that brings character to the whole area. It is one year off being 100-years-old. The school has been listed as a building of local interest, but in reality this doesn't protect it from being knocked down. Is it really too late to save this building, or at the very least, the facade?
"The only chance is if the council refuse planning permission for this development. This is unlikely unless there is significant local disapproval. We should urge the planners to consider alternative options for our community."
The planning application, made by Rockley Dene Homes, seeks permission to build an 88-bed care home with four studios for employees, 67 flats and a children's play area.
What is it about the middle class that they cannot cope with change. The buildings are cute enough (the Edwardians knew how to build things) but they are not that special. And the idea to save the facade is pretty silly. The current buildings are not really that suitable for the intended purpose even in outline (e.g. they are mostly single storey). On the other hand, the developer (as developers always do) is asking to put far too much on the site. But this is a common ploy. Ask for way too much, and then when you get cut back a little (or even half) at the planning application stage, you are still onto an easy multi-million pound profit, and you leave the local residents believing they have had some kind of victory. The one thing that the city ought to require is some decent quality architecture.
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