Planners clear the way for demolition of “town’s ugliest building”

PLANNERS have cleared the way for the demolition of what many people consider to be Warrington’s ugliest building.

The decision to demolish New Town House and the Quattro Building, off Buttermarket Street, was originally taken some two years ago. But earlier this year it was announced that the project had been put back 12 months.

The borough council – last occupiers of the building – said it was hoped to carry out the work early next year.
Now planning chiefs – who, ironically, occupied the building themselves, have approved demolition proposals, subject to conditions to protect the public, traffic and future users of the town centre sit.
In the short term it is proposed to level the site, grass it over and fence it. It is not known how long it may be before the site is redeveloped.

Built-in 1976 as the headquarters of the Warrington and Runcorn Development Corporation, the building had its critics from the earliest days.
One description was as follows: “A true brute of a building, relentlessly repeated pre-cast concrete panels and partially mirrored windows in a predictable grid. A pale grey monolith on the wrong side of town.”

In 2007 it was voted the “ugliest kid in town.”

It has been estimated that to refurbish the building would cost £5 million – and that it would still not be up to present-day standards.
But it is just possible that the building still has its supporters – bats.

A survey has not revealed any at present but if demolition has not taken place by next spring another survey might have to take place. If one bat was found, work would have to be halted.