Latest news from SAVE

One of the buildings to be demolished under plans to extend Elvian School, Reading (pic credit: SAVE Britain's Heritage)

The latest news from SAVE is of the annual lecture (Ptolemy Dean on Britain's Vanishing Views), a special offer on publications, advance notice of the 2009 Buildings at Risk publication:

All We Need is Love:

The SAVE Buildings at Risk Catalogue 2009/10
200 pages. Full colour

The SAVE Buildings at Risk catalogue has become the definitive survey of the most enticing, romantic and unusual vacant and 'problem’ buildings throughout England and Wales. The latest catalogue features buildings to suit a range of tastes and budgets – houses in town and country, agricultural and industrial buildings and redundant churches.

Although not all the featured properties are openly on the market, many could be secured by a determined buyer. This year’s catalogue also features five ‘success stories’ – buildings from previous registers which have since been lovingly restored, as well as a section offering useful advice on the sometimes complex negotiations which can be necessary in order to acquire‘at risk’ buildings.

£15 (£13 for Friends) plus p&p

PRE-ORDER NOW

Here's the flyer:

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/docs/articles/SAVE%20pub%20output%20small.pdf

Also from SAVE, disturbing news about proposed demolition of two handsome historic buildings in Reading, as part of a school expansion plan:

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/news/article.php?id=64

Text from SAVE letter to Elvian School:

SAVE Britain’s Heritage is deeply dismayed to learn of the plans by Elvian School to demolish two handsome Victorian villas - Rotherfield Grange and Oakland Hall.SAVE has campaigned for historic buildings for over 30 years and, during that time, we have shown how a wide range of building types, from police stations to mills, can be successfully converted to a number of new uses. For the school to claim that these two substantial, well designed and well maintained houses are ‘not capable for conversion to a viable form of use’ is patently absurd.

SAVE is also concerned that the fact that the building has been turned down for listing is being used as an argument for its destruction. This is akin to claiming that a painting is worthless as it is not in a national collection – there are thousands of good quality buildings all over the country which do not make the listing grade but are of architectural and historic value, and help define local character.

Reading has lost too many good buildings over the last few decades and cannot afford to lose more. We urge the school to show some imagination and vision and integrate these two villas into the plans for the new school. To lose them would be a tragedy.


and the sad news of the demolition of a historic villa in a conservation area, highlighting once again the lack of teeth of so much of our 'heritage protection' regime:

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/news/article.php?id=65

( Picture: SAVE)

More from:

http://www.savebritainsheritage.org/, an organisation which needs all the Friends and supporters it can get.

Nem

HERITAGE FORUM: http://www.joylandbooks.co.uk/forum/index.php