Cannock Ivy House sale will go ahead
A campaign to save Cannock's historic Ivy House has been dealt a huge blow as council bosses passed plans to sell it.
Cabinet members on Staffordshire County Council agreed to put the property on the market, with the aim of selling.
At a meeting yesterday they also signalled their intent to redevelop space at Stafford's Shire Hall as part of a now-approved list of more than 60 projects focusing on 400 buildings.
More than 1,000 people have previously lobbied the authority against selling Ivy House after it was earmarked for housing, only for the development to be refused planning permission.
The 143-year-old former Chase Hospital site on Wolverhampton Road has stood empty for more than two years.
Margaret Price, who has campaigned for the building to be kept for community use, said: "It is very disappointing to see that the council will go through with these plans to sell off the building.
"The council should not be even thinking of selling it. It should be maintained for the people of Staffordshire.
"Throughout its rich history the building has been used to serve people's needs and that's the way it should stay.
"If you spoke to anyone in Cannock and asked for directions to Ivy House, everyone would be able to tell you where it is. That is an example of what the building means to people here."
The list of projects has been produced as part of a 10 year deal between the council and construction firm Kier called the Penda Property Partnership agreement.
Among the schemes, 13 will cost at least £10 million and will have to be signed off in public, including plans for a business and enterprise centre at the i54 site near Wolverhampton and redeveloping Staffordshire University's Beaconside campus in Stafford.
Deputy council leader Ian Parry said: "We look at property now as a one public estate but with the intention we want a better use for our assets.We want to maximise them and ensure investment and development is supported. And also through that will bring employment and more jobs to the county. What will happen now is that each project will be worked into a business plan and that will come back to the board and be scrutinised and approved or otherwise."
Around 50 buildings owned by the office of the Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner are also included in the plans.
