Clipstone Colliery - Planned demolition of listed buildings

[Reaperman]

Plans to demolish Clipstone Colliery

I came across the Clipstone planning application today and noticed a flurry of new and very detailed reports supporting the application to de-list and demolish all buildings:

• Planning statement: http://www.nsdc.info/eplanning/images/documents/ojgio2u01j5wwjjzxmttuaec52467278414111.pdf
• Examination of costs involved in using housing alone to cover the cost of future maintainence on there figures it would mean preservation done this way is not economic. http://www.nsdc.info/eplanning/images/documents/ojgio2u01j5wwjjzxmttuaec52467278412269.pdf
• And finally a report by the legal man for Welbeck estates and the coal authority:http://www.nsdc.info/eplanning/images/documents/ojgio2u01j5wwjjzxmttuaec52467278412269.pdf

These are unfortunately incredibly long. The first 47 pages of the first link give an overview which is a good place to start reading.

Broadly speaking this is the most serious case for de-listing so far

I've read all the reports and the case to de-list hinges on:

• English heritage have conceded the winding house is difficult to re use and headstocks only value is as monuments.
• English heritage want profits from the sale of houses on site to maintain listed buildings in the future.
• The argument is then made that if the site was used for housing there would be no profits at the predicted rates in the report. Therefore any scheme would make a loss and not attract development.
• Local opinion is divided about the site.
• The site is listed as a technical example of the Koepe system, without the winding house the case for listing is much weaker. English heritage were of the opinion the winding house would be difficult to re use.
• The site attracts unwanted attention etc.
• ongoing costs to the site owners
  

The case against the application to de list as I see it is:

• The site must be viewed as a whole you cannot consider the merits of winding house and headstocks without each other.
• Reuse for the winding house including modifying or removing equipment has not been considered.
• Potential for re use of heapstead buildings surrounding either headstock has not been considered.
• No consideration has been made towards altering the internal space within the buildings to allow new use, preserving items elsewhere that could not be retained in situ for example the winders themselves.
• No consideration has been made that these may be the only listed complex of buildings created by nationalised industry surviving in England.
• There has been only limited exploration of re using the surrounding land for other purposes not including housing, Other use such as light industry would be more sustainable as rent could offset maintaining listed buildings.

The case to maintain the listing could include the following points:

• English heritage have conceded the winding house is difficult to re use and headstocks only value is as monuments.
• English heritage want profits from the sale of houses on site to maintain listed buildings in the future.
• The argument is then made that if the site was used for housing there would be no profits at the predicted rates in the report. Therefore any scheme would make a loss and not attract development.
• Local opinion is divided about the site.
• The site is listed as a technical example of the Koepe system, without the winding house the case for listing is much weaker. English heritage were of the opinion the winding house would be difficult to re use.
• The site attracts unwanted attention etc.
• No survey has been carried out exploring the importance of the site in relation to the development of the mining industry.
• The fact that few structures relating to the British Mining industry survive is not adequately addressed, the loss of this site would mean a significant loss to future generations appreciation for the role of mining during the 20th century.
  
  

There are of course many other reasons not to de-list, that's just a few points I came up with as I read through the plans.

The general case for retention of the site should be seen in the context that there are very few surviving structures relating to mining still existing in England, that Clipstone is a unique post war complex of buildings which when maintained could be a real advantage to the community and to the wider region.

Anyone who would like to see listed status should write to the planners to express your thoughts here:

http://www.nsdc.info/eplanning/default.aspx?sid=1&sindex=1&id=8&refno=03/02873/LBC

Sorry this post is so long but its difficult to discuss reports of 100's of pages briefly,

 

[nij4829]

I have been meaning to get to this for a while, ill have to get my arse into gear now

 

[wolfism]

This is not only sad and depressing, but also emphasises a systemic issue with the planning system. Whilst a fair amount of industrial buildings are put forward for listing, and some are eventually listed, the process is all too easy to reverse. A complex like Clipstone isn't just the best remaining example of its kind … it's the only one.

Arguably, you don't need to convert the winding house into anything; if you built housing on other parts of the site, part of the revenue could be used to create a sinking fund that would pay for maintenance of the remaining colliery buildings for years into the future. It's called planning gain (A Section 106 agreement in England/ Section 75 agreement in Scotland) and gaining permission to build noddy houses on the site should be contingent on creating that sinking fund.

Just my tuppenceworth…