MORE than 100 objections have now been lodged against another bid to bulldoze a village’s Victorian school building.

Garway Old School’s owner Gerard Davies was given planning permission to convert it into two new homes nine years ago, but the sandstone building is now overgrown with vegetation and derelict.

Last year he was refused prior approval to knock it down and leave it as concrete hardstanding, but has prompted anger in the village by resubmitting a new demolition application, which says work could even start this week.

The Save Britain’s Heritage charity has again joined the campaign to stop him bulldozing the building, telling Herefordshire Council planners it “strongly objects” to Mr Davies’ claim that the demolition is ‘permitted development’.

Charity conservation officer Benedict Oakley adds: “We also object to the principle of demolishing these Victorian school buildings on heritage and environmental grounds.”

The new bid to knock down the “no longer required” building follows a refusal by Historic England to list the building as “nationally” important, although the heritage body recognises it has “historic interest as an early board school in a remote countryside location, and local interest for the connection of its architect EH Lingen Barker”.

A report on behalf of Mr Davies, from Old Hendre Farm in Wonastow near Monmouth, also says Herefordshire Council has declined to make the building an “asset of community value” as it is not in public use, and claims planners have previously accepted the clearance is “permitted development”, and only refused the last bid because of the lack of a detailed demolition plan which has now been provided.

Mr Oakley counters: “These buildings are non-designated heritage assets of considerable local architectural and historic significance which we consider to be perfectly suitable for conversion and reuse…

“The building has not been proven to beyond repair or to pose a public health risk.”

And he questions why Mr Davies should be allowed to claim it now warrants demolition, having obtained permission to convert it only to let it fall into disrepair.

Dating back to 1877, the building is “one of the oldest surviving buildings in the village of Garway”, says the charity, which calls the demolition bid a “disproportionate and unjustified response to managing these buildings”, that will also “carry a highly negative carbon cost”.

The Old School is one of only three historic buildings in the village, alongside its Knights Templar church and the Garway Moon pub.

Residents have voiced their opposition to its demolition, saying a “concrete field” at the roadside opposite the modern community centre would be an “eyesore”, while there is no indication from the applicant about what he intends to do with the site in the long-term.

The Garway Community Centre group has also weighed in, describing it as an “irreplaceable feature”.

Dr William McGinley has also urged planners to save it, claiming: “It is inconceivable that the owner would be spending tens of thousands of pounds with no hope of a return.

“The applicant must reveal what his intentions are for the site before any demolition is considered.”