Latest news with #heritageconservation
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Conservation and heritage groups have their say on historic hotel extension plan
NATIONAL conservation charities and heritage groups have had their say on a planning application submitted to Dudley Council detailing plans to extend an historic hotel in Stourbridge Town Centre, adding 10 additional rooms. The application submitted to the council to extend The Talbot Hotel in the High Street and repurpose its conference room into new bedrooms has sparked controversy since its submission on March 18. A planning, design, access and heritage statement, submitted by AP Architects on behalf of the Talbot Hotel, details plans to construct a two-story flat roof extension and a single story pitched roof extension at the back of the building, which in total would allow for seven extra bedrooms, a space for laundry storage and a boiler/plant room. The plans also request permission to divide the historic conference room to create two additional bedrooms and make internal alterations to the hotel's lobby and reception areas, the bar and its toilet facilities, including relocating the accessible toilet. The hotel was bought by Birmingham-based hospitality operators, Rosevine Ltd, at the end of 2024, with the new owners looking to revamp the hotel. The Grade II listed building dates back to the 1600s, with the application having attracted strong criticism from over 100 objectors, including the town's MP, Cat Eccles and local councillors including ward councillor, Andrew Tromans. Echoing the concerns of objectors, conservation charity The Georgian Group have submitted recommendations to the council saying the plans pose 'serious concerns'. Read more Hotel management issues statement over application to extend historic town landmark On behalf of the group, James Darwin said: 'These proposals cumulatively have the potential to cause a considerable degree of harm to the listed building. 'The proposed works are both poorly explained and justified, and thus fail to meet the minimum requirements set out by the Secretaries of State within the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework). 'The group is particularly concerned by the extremely poor standard of the information provided in support of this application and by its failure to adequately assess the impact of the proposed alterations on the significance of the listed building.' Historic England have also criticised the application, voicing concerns bout the 'level of detail' in terms of potential harm to the listed building that the applicant has included, and the degree of harm the alterations would cause overall. Benjamin Williscroft from the organisation said: 'Fenestrated with sash windows, [The Talbot] has a commanding presence within the streetscene, and makes a positive contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.' He continued: 'Overall, it is considered that these external and internal alterations, including two storey extensions to existing extensions and that to the conference room, would result in a significant degree of incremental alteration, and harm to the significance of the existing designated heritage asset, especially where the legibility of historic internal spaces would be compromised.' The building, which is mostly located within the Stourbridge High Street Conservation Area, has many historical features including original timber framing, red brickwork, timber sash windows and a 'good' 18th century staircase. The planning, design, access and heritage statement submitted by the application said that the proposals have been 'designed to be sympathetic and in-keeping with the character of the existing building', with the two rear extensions being designed to 'echo the aesthetic, forms and feature of the immediate host' and continue the form of the existing building, therefore 'minimising' the impact on neighbouring buildings. The Georgian Group and Historic England are both statutory consultees, whose views the council are obliged to take into account when deciding on applications to alter listed buildings. The relevant applications P25/0222 and P25/0223 are available to view on the council's planning portal and will go before Dudley Council Planners.
Free Malaysia Today
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
‘Urban renewal' not a dirty term
From Boo Jia Cher I would like to respond to Anand Krishnan's letter critiquing Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid's support for the Urban Renewal Act (URA). Anand makes a compelling case for thoughtful urbanism, heritage conservation, and a healthy scepticism toward Malaysia's latest legislative attempt at reshaping the city. But his critique, while eloquent and preservationist in tone, glosses over the deeper, on-the-ground realities that many Klang Valley residents live with daily. It's one thing to argue for sensitive reuse and the existence of adequate laws; it's another to ignore that large parts of Kuala Lumpur are already suffering from entrenched structural neglect. Take a walk through Pudu or Imbi Anand's claim that 'our cities are lovely and well-regarded by any standard' is, frankly, out of touch. Just minutes from the gleam of Bukit Bintang, urban decay is everywhere. Walk through Pudu, Imbi, or even areas near Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, and you'll find overcrowded shophouses, dark alleys overflowing with trash, rats darting through neglected infrastructure, and public amenities on the brink of collapse. Perhaps Anand should try waiting alongside the elderly poor and migrant workers at the undersized ageing bus stop on Jalan Pudu, then tell us how wonderful KL really is. These areas don't necessarily need to be demolished and rebuilt wholesale. But they do need serious, sustained reinvestment – just as Singapore did with old neighbourhoods like Tiong Bahru and Kampong Glam. To pretend these places are 'fine as they are' is to turn a blind eye to people living in substandard conditions. Plaza Rakyat: a monument to dysfunction Nowhere is KL's urban rot more evident than Plaza Rakyat: a half-finished megastructure sitting at the city's core, paralysed for decades by legal and bureaucratic inertia. Adjacent Pudu Sentral, once a bustling bus terminal, now limps along, hollowed out and forgotten. Jalan Pudu, the artery between them, is a pedestrian hazard: crossing it feels like a death wish, and continuous sidewalks are rare or nonexistent. For visitors to the city, this corridor leaves a jarring first impression – of abandonment, decay, and an infrastructure built with anything but people in mind. Are such places worth 'preserving'? Or are they symbols of abandonment, deserving bold and overdue intervention? Kuala Lumpur's contradictions are stark The real scandal isn't demolition; it's disrepair. Across KL, gleaming condo towers rise across the street from derelict flats and crumbling shoplots. This is more than just aesthetic contrast; it's a spatial expression of inequality. It reflects, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim noted, a tale of two cities – where some flourish, while others are left to rot. Are we meant to romanticise this contrast in the name of heritage? Or should we confront it? Car-centric planning has hollowed out the city KL's car-centric design is part of the decay. Much of the city is built not for people, but for vehicles. Wide roads, elevated highways, and mega-malls isolate neighbourhoods and sterilise streets. Walking is neither safe nor pleasant. Streets are not places to linger; they're obstacles to cross. Anand may find KL 'lovely' because, like many, he likely experiences it from behind the wheel. But step outside the car and a different city reveals itself: one where illegally parked vehicles choke sidewalks, noise and fumes dominate, and historical streets like Jalan Sungai Besi and Jalan Loke Yew are reduced to sad, forgotten corridors. This is not urban vitality; it's engineered alienation. If the URA is to mean anything, it must take aim at this form of urban planning. The housing and local government ministry must coordinate with the works and transport ministries, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, and urban thinkers like Think City to confront the real problem: we've built cities for cars, not people. How can we then reverse this death spiral? Preserve, but also intervene Anand is right to call for greater attention to heritage and adaptive reuse. These must be central to any renewal strategy. But to oppose the URA outright, or to rely on existing legal frameworks that have repeatedly failed, is wishful thinking. The very laws he defends are what allowed Plaza Rakyat to languish for decades and Jalan Sungai Besi's heritage stock to crumble along high-speed roads. They are not sacred; they are part of the reason we're in this mess. Urban renewal shouldn't mean blanket demolition or unchecked developer profit, nor should it be reduced to cosmetic fixes or nostalgic preservation. In a city grappling with neglect and inequality, renewal must mean real transformation, driven by public interest, equity, and thoughtful planning. Look at Mexico City: recent investments in underserved areas like Iztapalapa have improved housing, infrastructure, and public services without displacing residents. These projects show that renewal can be ambitious, inclusive, and community-driven. The question isn't whether to act – it's how. We must proceed with care, but let's not pretend that inaction is the more principled choice. Boo Jia Cher is an FMT reader. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Malay Mail
11-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Sarawak Museum's digital preservation project to spotlight Kuching's historic buildings
KUCHING, May 11 — The Sarawak Museum Department has announced plans to collaborate with PCSS Consultancy Sdn Bhd in digitally preserving several of the state's historic buildings in Kuching. This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to safeguard Sarawak's rich architectural and cultural heritage using modern technological solutions. According to PCSS Consultancy's director of professional services Andy Tiong, preliminary discussions are underway, with the works expected to commence within the next one to two months. The partnership will begin by developing a comprehensive preservation programme focused on selected heritage structures, such as the old post office and former court buildings. 'Part of the plan includes the creation of numerous digital maps and models to be showcased at the Borneo Cultures Museum in the future,' he said, adding that all data and digital materials generated through the initiative would be handed over to the Sarawak Museum Department. Tiong shared these insights at the closing ceremony of 'Timeless Treasures: The Legacy of Old Hokkien School and Darul Kurnia' programme, held at Plaza Merdeka here yesterday. According to him, the digital programme is fully funded by the State Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) and conducted in collaboration with Kuching Community College. 'The upcoming conservation initiative, on the other hand, will be funded by the Sarawak Museum Department,' he added. Tiong also spoke about the just-completed documentation of the Old Hokkien School and Darul Kurnia buildings, stating that both structures remained structurally sound and required only minor refurbishments. 'These sites may be repurposed as creative spaces for exhibitions or innovation showcases,' he said. — The Borneo Post
