Stumbling block for Wolverhampton Royal Hospital homes plan

The Victorian Society has described plans to demolish a former Nurses Home behind the main Grade II-listed hospital building, which would be converted into 53 apartments, as a blow to the area's heritage.

Developer the Homes and Communities Agency wants to replace the 1910 Nurses Home, which was built 65 years after the hospital, with a three-storey apartment block with 24 flats.

Consultants Cushman & Wakefield say converting the home, which has been empty for more than 20 years, into 49 flats would provide a £7m hit to the project.

But in the letter to Wolverhampton council, Tim Bridges, conservation adviser for the Victorian Society, said the group objected to the entire scheme based on the proposed demolition of the Nurses Home.

He described the Nurses Home, which is made of brick as an 'attractive' Edwardian Queen Anne style, and it was complementary to the classical design of the main building.

The building is curtilage listed, which means it is within the area of a listed building, the hospital, and may be considered listed itself.

Mr Bridges said: "We are unpersuaded by the proposal for its demolition and replacement with a building on a similar footprint.

"In our view this curtilage-listed building contributes positively to the setting of the listed main hospital building and to the heritage of the conservation area.

"The Nurses Home should be retained.

"Its sympathetic conservation and regeneration as part of these proposals would enhance the character and appearance of the conservation area, whilst its removal would have a negative impact.

"The proposed apartment building for the site of the Nurses Home is of a simple design, which does not mitigate for the loss of the curtilage listed building, and is not in our view an appropriate replacement."

Lisa Cattanach, spokesman for the Homes and Communities Agency, which also owns the site, has responded to the society's objections, claiming converting it is 'not financially viable'.

She said: "The proposed scheme at Wolverhampton Royal will refurbish the original hospital building, which was constructed in the early 19th century.

"This will bring back into beneficial use a landmark building that has lain unused for over 20 years.

"The original intention was to also retain the Nurses Home building but this building has had no investment for over 20 years and is currently unsafe to enter.

"Following extensive investigation the conclusion is that it is not financially viable to bring the building back into use and a new high quality replacement building is proposed to replace it.

She added: "The new building will reflect the character of the main hospital building and the conservation area and provide much needed homes in the city."

A report by Cushman & Wakefield said: "If the nursing accommodation block is redeveloped, the comprehensive regeneration scheme is viable and can be delivered."

As part of the overall scheme, the hospital lodge building Cleveland Road will converted into a cafe and community facilities.

The developer also wants to build 115 homes on land at the rear of the existing buildings, either side of Sutherland Place.

The old hospital can be seen from Bilston Road following the demolition of the former bus depot and is surrounded by boardings.

Tesco had planned to open a store for the site, but dropped the scheme – one of 49 it withdrew from nationwide.