‘Save our heritage’

11:39am Saturday 2nd December 2006

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STOURBRIDGE MP Lynda Waltho is calling for support over the protection of historic buildings in Mary Stevens Park.

Concerns have been raised with the MP after plans to transform Dudley town centre with a state-of-the-art civic building were announced.

The plans mean services such as Dudley Library and Dudley Concert Hall would move to the new planned site, and staff from offices in Mary Stevens Park and Westox House would have to transfer to the civic quarter leaving the landmark buildings redundant.

MP, Lynda Waltho, said many constituents had contacted her about the plans.

She said: "Removing all council functions to the heart of Dudley out of surrounding civic sites in the rest of the borough, like Stourbridge, means the civic buildings in the park will be abandoned and left to vandals."

Although the project failed to get cross party support at a recent council meeting it still leaves councillors and the public with concerns over the use of the vacant buildings.

She said: "Many people in Stourbridge feel that over the years much of what is Stourbridge has been sucked out of the town.

"If the council is eventually successful in its plans for a civic quarter in Dudley town centre then it must realise the buildings in the park are important to us in Stourbridge and they should be preserved for the use of local people."

Councillor Mike Attwood, chairman of the Friends of the Park, said the group has passed on its concerns over the heritage building and that they were in the process of checking the listing status on the buildings.

He said: "It is important that the historic building and the heritage remains and this is for all sites and parks not just Mary Stevens."

He stressed the plans were only in discussion at the moment and said urged people to air their view and give their "ten pennies worth" at meetings.

Cllr Attwood said if the plans do go ahead he would like to see the building turned into some sort of museum.

He added: "It is important that the architecture remains and not just the historic buildings but all the parts that have been added to it as well."

Cllr Charles Fraser Macnamara, deputy leader of Dudley Council said: "No decision has been made about staff moving sites and this would only be made following full consultation with staff and trade unions.

"The council house in Mary Stevens Park is part of the permanent endowment of the Mary Stevens Trust which the council must maintain. There is no question of it being demolished now or in the future."