Whitchurch demonstrators oppose demolishing civic centre

Demonstrators gathered outside Whitchurch Civic Centre to oppose talk of demolition

A demonstration has been held to oppose plans to demolish a civic centre.

A report has recommended the venue in Whitchurch, Shropshire, be knocked down following the discovery of Raac, the building material at risk of crumbling.

Most of the centre was shut in September, with the report suggesting that clearing the site and developing it would be the most cost-effective solution to the issue.

But protestors said they wanted it repaired or rebuilt instead.

The report, due to go before Shropshire Council's cabinet on Wednesday, sets out six options including repair at a quoted cost of £2.5m - a sum the document describes as "significant".

The other options include doing nothing, replacing the building with a new civic centre at a cost of up to £7.6m, and clearing the site and making it available for a "mixed use development" at a cost of £1.25m.

The report recommends councillors support the latter.

Raac was discovered at Whitchurch Civic Centre during maintenance work

Most of the people demonstrating outside the civic centre on Friday said it was a key community asset.

Jason Wainwright, a member of the town's Operatic Society and Little Theatre group, said it was a unique venue in north Shropshire and that up to 50 groups used it regularly.

"There isn't anywhere else in the town for all those groups to go," he said, adding that without a civic centre, many of them would fold.

Melissa Nicholson has used the building as a base for her dog training business and said: "They've been fantastic at accommodating me."

She said being without a civic centre was "unimaginable".

Retired resident Chrissy Bebbington added: "I come to all the shows - there's just such a wide community of people that use the civic centre.

"It's the centre of the town, it's the hub."

Helen Morgan said she would fight to get a replacement for the civic centre

Local politicians have also said they will fight to get the building repaired or replaced.

North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan, Liberal Democrat, said: "I think there's a lack of imagination on what can replace it."

She said the likely cost of rebuilding the centre was "not a huge amount of money compared to some of the investments the council's made in Shrewsbury in the past".

Town mayor, Andy Hall, who is also chair of the town council, has called a public meeting on Saturday, describing the venua as "the heartbeat of Whitchurch" and urged Shropshire Council not to "make any rash decisions".

Shropshire Council member Tom Biggins, one of the councillors who represents the town, said there had been a town hall on the civic centre site for centuries and he opposed any suggestion of homes being built there.

He said the likely costs of replacing the building were far smaller than the £13m currently being spent on a new swimming pool in Whitchurch.