Spenfield villa

Paz · Post by **Paz** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 1:08 pm

Hi all have been visiting the site for a while now & was inspired to register.Did anyone see last nights Evening Post article on saving Spenfield villa in Headingley? This is an amazing building especially inside & certainly worth saving.

Mick_SGC · Post by **Mick_SGC** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 1:26 pm

I dont think they will get apporoval to do what they want to do.Edit:http://www.headingleytoday.co.uk/news/H ... 4012432.jp

Paz · Post by **Paz** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 1:45 pm

Hi Mick I hope you're right, but they do seem to be considering altering the building in some way, unlikely to be an improvement in my opinion. Surely this building merits preservation?Leeds city councils recent cock-up regarding the demolition of the 17th century crofters cottage on King Lane (Alwoodley), near the junction of Stairfoot Lane doesn't exactly inspire confidence in them to do the right thing does it?

Mick_SGC · Post by **Mick_SGC** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 1:53 pm

No, nor does the development at Kirkstall Mills, which im looking into at the moment!

The Doggers · Post by **The Doggers** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 2:45 pm

How about how the listed Boston Exchange building was allowed to deteriorate until it was "mysteriously" burnt down, leaving Park Lane Properties with a site they could build on, having originally started with a building they couldn't tear down.....Look at what was happening to York Road Library until it gained some publicity..... Thanks to that they will never be able to allow it to rot and fall apart now Is it just me or does anybody else think that listed buildings and the like should be protected from this by bringing in a law which states that if a private owner allows such a building to fall into a state of disrepair, then they must relinquish ownership of the land and property to the local authority? I.e. you must be able to maintain a listed building, else you have it taken off you.That would stop this kind of thing happening, but alas, the old problem of funding would be brought up and such a venture would never happen, dooming much of our nation's history. It's sad to think of all the sites where kids growing up today see the generic flat pack housing standing, with no idea that there was ever anything grand there before it.

kierentc · Post by **kierentc** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 2:58 pm

Paz wrote: Hi Mick I hope you're right, but they do seem to be considering altering the building in some way, unlikely to be an improvement in my opinion. Surely this building merits preservation?Leeds city councils recent cock-up regarding the demolition of the 17th century crofters cottage on King Lane (Alwoodley), near the junction of Stairfoot Lane doesn't exactly inspire confidence in them to do the right thing does it? was that the site where they've now squashed a new house on? i didn't realise the previous building was so old. what a shamewhat happened?

Paz · Post by **Paz** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 3:09 pm

Hi Kierentc It's a while since I was there so I haven't seen what's there now.The builder/vandal hid the cottage from view with high fencing then proceeded to demolish the cottage. A friend of mine was trying to keep an eye on things, but took his eye off the ball for a couple of days. When he returned the builder was half way through demolition. My friend approached him and confronted him, but the builder said he had permission to demolish. Said friend then contacted the council who unbelievably stated that the cottage wasn't listed as they didn't know of its existence and that my friend wasn't the first person to voice their concerns.

kierentc · Post by **kierentc** » Fri 25 Apr, 2008 4:06 pm

thats awful assuming its the same site, the new building (don't know if its a house, or semis or even flats) is rammed on with barely an inch of land to spare. the building wall is practically flush to the pavement. i don't know if i'd fancy living there

davedeath · Post by **davedeath** » Thu 28 May, 2015 5:22 pm

Leeds Civic Trust and the Victorian Society have arranged an Emergency Public Meeting to try to save Spenfield House.

The meeting will be at the St Chad's Parish Centre on Otley Road at 7:30pm on Monday 1st June 2015, and will feature a talk about the history of the house, a showing of a previously unseen BBC film of John Betjeman's visit to the house in 1964, and a discussion about it's future. The aim is to start a "Friends Of Spenfield" group to campaign for it's future.

There's a lot more information on the Victorian Society website here:

http://www.victoriansociety.org.uk/news ... the-north/

SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Spenfield villa

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