Glass pavilion at historic Dudley museum to be demolished after plans approved
An all-glass pavilion at a historic former glass museum in Dudley is set to be demolished, after councillors gave plans the green light.
Dudley Council unanimously approved two applications at its planning meeting on Tuesday night for Kingswinford's Broadfield House - one for five new apartments to be built on the site of Grade II listed building, and the other to demolish the all-glass structure which once used to be the entrance to the museum.
Members said that the destruction of the glass pavilion, thought to be the largest all-glass structure in the world at the time of its creation in 1994, was 'regrettable'.
A report to the planning committee read that keeping the glass would require mechanical ventilation in the building, which could have an 'undesirable “knock on” effect' on the building.
Councillor Paul Bradley said: "It's very regrettable we are going to lose the glass partition but we have to look at the bigger picture as well.
"It's an 18th Century property. The bigger picture is that we are looking after the future of this bigger part of the building.
Chairman of the committee, councillor Asif Ahmed, said the demolition was a 'shame'.
He said: "These things can't stay forever but the important thing is we are looking after the building."
Broadfield House, a two storey Grade II Listed Building was constructed as a farmhouse with a threshing barn next door in the eighteenth century.
Apart from the caretakers flat within the building, the entire property has been empty since 2015. It was used a care home before being opened as Broadfield House Glass Museum in 1980.
The planning committee of the council unanimously agreed to extend the former museum to build the flats, while demolishing the glass structure.
