Listed school is to be turned into flats

5:22am Monday 6th April 2015 in News

By Dominic Gilbert

College building in Victoria Road..Pic – gv.Date 3/4/15.Pic – By Dave Cox. (22396882)

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THE future of the landmark 120-year-old former Technical College in Victoria Road has been fixed as plans to convert the grand building into 24 modern apartments has been given the seal of approval.

The Grade II listed, Flemish Baroque style school has stood empty and dilapidated since it was vacated in 2006, and after repeated vandalism, flooding and disrepair, serious concerns were raised last year that it would survive at all.

Last July, owners Ashfield Land were served a list of urgent repairs needed to ensure the building was not lost, including the repair of boundary walls and strengthening the bridge link.

And last week, the residential scheme was rubber stamped by the council, paving the way for the Regent Circus developers to commence work.

Civic groups have expressed their despair at the move ‘behind closed doors’, as they have long argued for the college to be returned to public use.

In a report last year, consultants Turley Heritage said a residential scheme would be the most likely to secure the future of the site.

“The building has been vacant since 2006 and whilst the applicant has made significant efforts to secure the building it has, regrettably, been subject to regular trespass and extensive damage arising from vandalism,” the consultant said.

“The basement was entirely flooded in early 2014 and is now in an advanced state of decline.

“The net effect of those factors is significant and adverse and has resulted in extensive loss and damage of original fabric to the detriment of the significance of the building as a whole.

“The building has been significantly altered as part of the operation of the school and is now not possible to reliably ascertain the original functions of the individual rooms which would have been integral to the school’s original purpose and its specific educational curriculum.

“[Residential] use would be consistent with the wider planning objectives of the area and will also deliver the large capital receipt needed in order to undertake the much-needed maintenance, repair and upgrade works, thereby securing a new use for the building.”

The college was built in 1895, designed by local architect Thomas Ball Silcock as one of the first purpose-built technical schools at the heart of the community. Swindon Civic Voice have said that while the exterior of the building will be saved, the public will now be losing the potential of the community asset for good.

Martha Parry, chair of Swindon Civic Voice, said: “Civic Voice have expressed concerns with various aspects of this site and we did not think it should have been turned into flats because that is to throw away the building for future public use. It is very disappointing and it seems they have made a mess of this wonderful college by putting a car park around it.

“A building’s best use is the one it was created for, and while this building could no longer be used as a college, it could remain in the same category of public provision. It is not just about preserving something for people to look at, it is about making a positive contribution to the life of the town.

“We think this should have gone to committee and been discussed in public rather than being a done deal. The fact that it is still standing there is something, but it is not achieving its potential.”

“The building was in a good condition when it was vacated, and it has been neglected dreadfully.”

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