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Conservationists slam plans for Widnes Town Hall
Tuesday 11 December
Plans to demolish part of Halton Business Forum, formerly Widnes Town Hall, and erect a two storey glass extension have been opposed by the Victorian Society, the national charity campaigning for the Victorian and Edwardian historic environment.
Built in 1885 by architects F & G Holmes, the Town Hall is a distinctive and attractive building in a free Northern Renaissance style. Despite being Grade II-listed and standing in a Conservation Area, it has been derelict for some years and has fallen into disrepair. Now a developer has applied to redevelop the building as a hotel, demolishing the later additions to the rear of the building and erecting a large, glass extension which bears no relation to the style of the listed building or the quality of the conservation area in which it stands.
‘Of course we are keen to see Widnes Town Hall in use again,’ said Alex Baldwin, Conservation Adviser of the Victorian Society. ‘But this must not come at any price. A building of this quality deserves better treatment if its national significance is to be preserved.’
She continued: ‘The current scheme shows no respect for the listed building or the area around it. We urge Halton Borough Council to throw the plans out.’
