National Trust demolition plans at Croft Castle, Leominster

Planning law allows buildings to be demolished without full planning permission under certain conditions, with the application aiming to show are met.

Aerial view of the Croft Castle site (from Google) and inset, the buildings earmarked for demolition (National Trust, from application)Consisting of cattle sheds, a Dutch barn, implement shed and sileage clamp, the four structures form part of the Home Farm north of the grade I listed castle and neighbouring church, and are not normally accessible to visitors.

RELATED NEWS:

• Decision on riverside café plan at garden centre
• Plan for new holiday park with 44 caravans and ‘lodges’
• Nine houses to replace Herefordshire chicken sheds

As all four appear to have been built since 1948, they should not be considered to form part of the “curtilage” of the neighbouring heritage-listed buildings, so listed building consent “would not be required” to demolish them, the application statement maintains.

What are your thoughts?

You can send a letter to the editor to have your say by clicking here.

Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

Indeed removing them “will better reveal the traditional buildings in the vicinity”, making the proposed demolition “an enhancement of the site”.

Croft Castle and its neighbouring church have the highest level of heritage protection (Image: Adele Loney) The buildings “will be checked for the presence of protected bats and birds, prior to any demolition”, the trust’s statement adds.

Though not mentioned in the text, this document is entitled “proposed play area and picnic area”.

According to a National Trust spokesperson, the plan was prompted by damage to a neighbouring threshing barn from a fallen tree last year.

OTHER NEWS:

• Victory in builder's battle to keep living in caravan
• Historic inn’s outdoor bar plan faces challenge over noise
• Farming rule ‘broken for 15 years’ at cottage

“This structure holds significant heritage value for the Croft estate,” they explained.

“The planned removal of the four modern agricultural buildings surrounding the threshing barn will enable its careful restoration and help preserve its historical integrity.”

Public comments are not taken on a planning bid such as this, which Herefordshire Council aims to decide on by June 8.