Criticism for retirement flats in Worcester

Neighbours have criticised a new plan to demolish an historic former Victorian school building to make way for new flats.

The former St Placide’s school in Battenhall in Worcester would be knocked down and replaced with a new three-storey apartment block under fresh plans.

The previous scheme, approved by Worcester City Council in 2018, would have seen the former Victorian junior school remain with newer extensions – built in the 40s and 50s – demolished and replaced to make way for more than 30 retirement flats.

Enterprise Retirement Living now wants to demolish the entire building – which has been used as a site office during the building of the wider Mount Battenhall at St Mary’s – and replace it with a completely new three-storey apartment building and 15 more flats and four new bungalows.

The former school’s tennis courts – which have been used as a car park during the building of the Mount Battenhall retirement village opposite – would also be built on with two new apartment blocks containing 23 flats bringing the total to 47 apartments.

Enterprise Retirement Living have now said the condition of the building is “poor” and would be difficult to convert into suitable apartments for the elderly.

Nearby trees could also cause damage to the building’s shallow foundations, the developer said.

Dozens of neighbours have argued the former school building is of historic importance to Worcester and want it to remain.

Objecting to the plan, Andy Baylis, of Battenhall Avenue, said the scheme was “harmful” and would “unnecessarily demolish a valuable building.”

“It is overdevelopment in the green space,” he said. “The application documents are misleading and contain false statements particularly with regard to the structural integrity of the existing building.

“The application is harmful to conservation and open space, harmful to potential ecology and wildlife, harmful to sustainable development and harmful to our residential amenity.

Also objecting, Jason and Emma Allen of Goodwood Avenue, said the Victorian building was a important part of Battenhall’s conservation area.

“The construction of a three-storey blocks of flats would tower over the existing properties and are not in keeping with the surrounding dwellings,” they said. “The numerous windows and balconies would look directly into our property leading to a loss of privacy and an increase in both noise and light pollution.”