Academics call for Witham Hall scheme to be rejected, Teesdale Mercury

HISTORIANS and academics have urged the council to reject plans for a £6m revamp of The Witham Hall, in Barnard Castle.

They say the proposals should be refused because they include the demolition of a music hall, which is thought to be the last of its kind in the region.

They hope to persuade planning officers that the scheme needs to be changed. 

But David Woods, the chairman of The Witham’s managing trustees, says the crumbling music hall has “limited” architectural importance and would be costly to save.

He warned: “If the building has to stay, it will be back to the drawing board. It would be the kiss of death if The Witham scheme doesn’t go ahead in the format it is now.”

The Witham project includes a 160-seat cinema, food hall with retail units, two cafes and an auditorium.

However, the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland, which was formed in 1861, is worried about the redevelopment.

The group includes historical experts and publishes respected books and journals.

Members said the music hall, which stands at the rear of The Witham and has changed little during 150 years, could be repaired.

The society told the council: “As a listed building, there needs to be a very good reason and strong public benefit in order to justify its demolition.”

The group added: “We believe there has been little if any attempt to consider reusing the hall and adapting it to meet the needs of the future. The music hall is an open space 

designed from the very beginning to be flexible.

“The appreciation of the hall as a nationally rare type of building 

appears to have carried little weight in the design.”

The society also said the bold 

design of the new building is “unsightly” and would “present a very unattractive view into the town”.

Several other residents have objected on design grounds.

Paul Stancill, of George Street said the plans were “wholly inappropriate”. 

He wrote to Durham County Council: “In a town which has architecture and history, evident and traceable back to the Middle Ages, it is hard to conceive of a more 

offensive structure. It is as if a giant Lego brick had been dumped on to a rural idyll.”

A copy of the letter was sent to Prince Charles.

Mrs Walton of George Street, wrote a seven-page objection letter and a copy was sent to Secretary of State Theresa May. 

Mr Woods, from The Witham, said he understood people’s fears.

But he said the architects who drew up the plans had long talks with English Heritage about demolishing the music hall.

Mr Woods said: “They recognise that it has limited architectural importance. It’s also falling apart and to convert it into a new facility would be extremely expensive.

“It’s not that we are philistines trying to over-rule people who want to save history, we want to preserve 

history. But in this case, it’s impractical to do so.

“We’re looking at removing a crumbling building and replacing it with a cinema and auditorium, both with more than 150 seats.

“It will be a superb facility for the price of an old building that is not sustainable.”

Responding to criticism of the designs, Mr Woods said the revamped Witham needed to be a piece of modern architecture – not an imitation of an 18th century building.