LETTER: Remove listing and get the bulldozers in

Your article in the September 28 publication about the former magistrates court at West Bars requires comment.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Oct 2017, 12:46 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2017, 13:10 BST

The building was opened by Lord Denning, the Master of the Rolls on Thursday, September 30 1965 and was built in the two years previous to this date.
The architect, Professor Allen may have been a renowned architect, but this building was given trouble throughout its existence.
This was mainly caused by the roof.

Covered initially by a white special paint guaranteed for numerous years, it very soon failed and was replaced with copper sheeting. This did not stop the leaking, the rainwater drainage was always failing to cope and with it being internal, leaking of the system always and still is occurring. ‘Water has very thin shoulders, it will get through any thin crack’, a term widely used in the construction industry states.

READ MORE: Chesterfield building taken off the market

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The building was designed as a court house and could have been made adequate to fit that purpose had it continued. But its design prevents use by other activities.
I’m sure a lot of clever property specialists have looked at its future and failed to come up with a viable use. Get this Grade Two listing removed and get the bulldozers in.

P. T. Beighton

Chanderhill Lane, 
Holymoorside