Historic building restoration hope (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Historic building restoration hope

NEW plans for the Mechanics' Institute would leave Swindon with a building to be proud of.

That is the message from the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust, which wants to see the former Great Western Railway workers' centre serve the community.

Under its plans, which have been submitted to the council, the Mechanics would include offices for community groups, a concourse to encourage people to walk through the building, a caf, a cinema, shops, conference facilities, a youth venue, a restaurant and a theatre.

But if the trust does win planning permission it would still have to raise the money and buy the building from its current owner, who wants to develop it into a business complex and hotel.

"We expect this to sail through," said Martha Parry from the trust.

"That shows what we would like to do with this building is appropriate.

"That would strengthen our hand and show it doesn't need the hotel to preserve this building.

"Then our problem becomes acquiring ownership of the building. That has always been our problem. This would really be something to be proud of."

Mathew Singh, who owns the Mechanics, already has permission to develop a business complex with conference facilities, a restaurant and apartments in the southern part of the building.

His plans for a 118-room hotel, 21 apartments and health club in the northern end of the historic building will be the subject of a planning inquiry in September.

But the trust says it is scandalous to force "unsympathetic uses" on the building and that the commercial proposals do not take notice of the critical role it has played in the evolution of Swindon.

"Physically it is the missing diamond in the necklace of the GWR establishment," the trust's planning application for listed building consent to the council says.

"It establishes the link between technology and social change in a visual and inspirational manner.

"To leave it to lie abused into Brunel's anniversary year would be beyond profligacy.

"There is no good reason why this current application should not now be the turning point in the Mechanics' fortunes and in those of the people of Swindon."

If its plans are approved the trust will try to buy the building from Mr Singh but says he must be realistic about how much it is worth.

The trust says the building has a token value of £1 but believes it would be able to reimburse Mr Singh for repairs to the building, which are estimated at £250,000. The group would look for lottery funding to raise the money.

Mr Singh was not available to comment.

Our survey of 900 readers, Your Swindon Your Verdict, asked what readers thought should happen to the 150-year-old building.

Sixty per cent want it used by the community, while a third said it should be redeveloped as a hotel, restaurant and business centre.

The law

A PERSON or company does not have to own a building or piece of land to apply to make changes to it.

Anyone can apply for planning permission if they notify the owner in advance.

But if the planning application is approved it does not give the person who made it any legal right on the land and the owner is not obliged to do anything with the permission.

The New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust is applying for listed building consent which it would need to make the physical changes to the building if it could buy it.

Isabel Field