Heritage campaigners welcome decision to reject plan to demolish former maternity hospital

Wakefield Council has refused permission to knock down the Victorian property in Blenheim Road.

Heritage campaigners, including Wakefield Civic Society, fought to save the historic property in St John’s.

The landmark property was the city’s maternity hospital from 1919 until 1935.

Developer Milner Homes applied to demolish the property and build six town houses on the site.

Recommending the scheme be turned down, a planning officer’s report describes the plan as having “a significant harmful impact” on the area and “an alien form of development.”

Kevin Trickett, president of Wakefield Civic Society, said: “In common with many other towns and cities, Wakefield has been rather careless in preserving our architectural heritage.

“But today people are waking up to the value of heritage buildings in helping to preserve the essential character of a place.

“This is in part reflected by the Council’s decision to refuse demolition but also in the fact that there was such strong opposition to the demolition from local residents and the wider community.

“I am sure that many people will be relieved to hear of the decision.”

More than 70 people objected to the scheme, with residents opposed to the loss of a historic building.

Others said the proposal was not in keeping with the St John’s area and would lead to a loss of privacy for neighbouring residents.

Attempts to get the property listed were turned down by Historic England last year.

Mr Trickett added: “It has been rather neglected in recent times but with some investment and sympathetic upgrading of the insulation and heating systems, the flats could be brought up to modern standards to make comfortable homes for the tenants.”

The property was built in 1889 and designed by J W Connon, a well-known architect of his time who also worked on the Metropole Hotel in Leeds.

It was the home to Rev Andrew Chalmers, vicar at Wakefield Unitarian Chapel, until his death in 1912.

The property was the city’s maternity hospital from 1919 until Manygates Maternity Hospital was opened in 1935.

It is thought the house was divided into flats in the 1930s, not long after it ceased to be the maternity home, and it has been used as flats ever since.