Buildings given new lease of life

Black Country heritage is crumbling before our very eyes, according to a local group fighting to preserve historic buildings across the region.

The West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust has vowed to stop the rot and is working to preserve unusual and unique structures and bring them back into use.

The trust is currently campaigning to save historic sites, including Corngreaves Hall in Cradley Heath, Lye and Wollescote Cemetery Chapels and the former Foster and Rastrick foundry in Stourbridge.

The WMHBT grew out of an initiative by the former West Midlands County Council and was relaunched in 1990. It finds practical uses for the buildings it saves. The charity identifies a problem building, then purchases, repairs and converts it for a new use.It is then sold and the proceeds reinvested in further problem buildings.

Alan Smith, from Rowley Regis, who is chairman of the West Midlands Historic Buildings Trust, said: "There are a number of criteria a building has to fulfil.

"We can only accept buildings other agencies have tried and failed to save. We don't go out looking for them.

"They tend to be buildings it would cost more to repair than they are worth and are often listed.

"Those we work on are of archeological or historical importance and ones for which we can identify a suitable use. We are able to access funding private owners cannot.

"And because of the nature of the charity, we do not have to pay money back when the project is completed. Any profit is rolled on into the next one."

Success stories include the Harris and Pearson office building in Brierley Hill and 19-20 High Street in Kinver.

Harris and Pearson has been restored and is being used as offices, while the High Street venue is now a family home.

Future projects include Corngreaves Hall and The Piano Warehouse in Kidderminister, a former carpet factory built in the shape of a piano - already targeted by vandals and listed for demolition.

Mr Smith added: Many of the Victorian buildings that are ageing now were built very substantially and of the finest building materials. To destroy them, when they could be put to new use, and to to build new, vastly inferior properties is nothing more than wanton destruction to me.

"These buildings are what make out towns our own. I don't want to live somewhere that looks like every other town. We need to retain our own identity."

The trust's work to preserve historic buildings in the Black Country and across the West Midlands will come under the spotlight at a seminar on March 8.

Campaigners are calling on owners and people concerned by the neglect and regular demolition of local buildings to attend the meeting to talk about the way forward.

Tickets for the seminar, which runs from 10am to 4.30pm, cost £10 including lunch. They are available on 07710 175386. A exhibition runs alongside the seminar between 2.30pm and 4.30pm. Admission will be free.

l Do you know a building under threat? Email newsdesk@expressandstar.co.uk or call our reporters on 01902 319550.