Old Pennar School and the Oil Tanks Fire (Part 2)

I would like YOU to do something for me ...please.

The 19th August, this summer, will be the 75th Anniversary of the bombing of the oil tanks at Pennar, just above Llanreath. Old Pennar School is where many, many firemen from all over Pembrokeshire, from Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff and other parts of Wales sought refuge and rest from the searing heat of the conflagration less that a mile up the road. The Church Hall opposite the school acted as a first aid post and official reports recount how the local population opened their hearts, homes and rations to the fire fighters.

The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, with the Sunderland Trust, is planning to commemorate the events of those (literally) dark days with a church service and exhibition/display in the Garrison Chapel.

Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Housing Association have proposed an alternative commemoration.... demolish one of the few (only) buildings in Pembroke Dock/Pennar associated with what was an historic event in the history of war time Britain.

Nothing if not crass.

Why not drop Pembrokeshire Housing Association a polite email or letter letting them know how insensitive to the feelings of the community of Pennar their proposal is?

Here are their contact details:

Registered Office:

Meyler House,

St. Thomas' Green,

Haverfordwest,

Pembrokeshire.

SA61 1QP

Tel: (01437) 763688

Fax: (01437) 763997

General Enquiries: Enquiries@pembs-ha.co.uk

You may wish to to make your comments for the attention of: 

Mr Nigel Sinnett

or

Mr Sam Salgo

Note: Photograph courtesy of Rosemary Norton whose mother took this shot whilst stationed in Pembroke Dock

 — at Military Road, Pennar, Pembroke Dock.

Old Pennar School - Requiem to Mr Isaac Hughes, builder

I have tried to find out a little more about the builder who built Old Pennar School in about 1872/3.

He was a Mr Isaac Hughes, who when he died in 1874, lived in Bush Street, Pembroke Dock.

The witnesses to his will were Michael Morgan Builder of Pembroke Dock and Isaac Cadogan, Stonemason, of Pembroke Dock. He left everything to his wife.

In 1861, Isaac, a joiner who hailed from Reynoldston, shared a house with another joiner at 15(?) Lewis Street. Ten years later he was living with his wife Mary, his four children and a servant in Gwyther Street, probably at 1 Gwyther Street South, because that is where his widow and 5 children, were living in 1881. His eldest child, Elizabeth, who would have been 19 years old in 1881, no longer lived at the address.

Isaac was about 36 years old when he died. He wrote his will on 9 April 1874 and died on 20 April, 11 days later. 

The Board School in Pennar opened in 1873, the year before Isaac died. An oft quoted memorial (I am sure that someone can tell me where it originated) is particularly apt in Isaac's case. If you stand in the playground, between the two wings of Old Pennar School, as the swifts scream their requiem over your head.......

"If you seek his memorial, just look around you"

Old Pennar School - My objection letter.

Development Control Section

Planning Division
Pembrokeshire County Council
County Hall
Haverfordwest
Pembrokeshire
SA61 1TP

Adrian James

C/o The Weir

Cross Park

Pembroke Dock

Pembrokeshire

SA72 6SN

 12 May 2015

 Dear Sir/Madam

Planning Application 14/1098/PA – Old Pennar School

I am writing to state my objections to the proposal to demolish the old Victorian school in Pennar and replace it with 15 dwelling units.

I have gone into further details about this proposal in the attached papers, and in this letter I wish to focus on some of these points, and others.

1.       The Planning Application (Access and Design Statement) is clearly ill thought out and put together in haste. The papers available (some only available on the website TWO days before the comment deadline) consist mainly of standard policy rubric that has clearly been utilised elsewhere (“Square and Compass”?) for a completely different application and the document is an insult to the intelligence of both the planners at PCC and the local population.

2.       The design DOES NOT pay regard to the local building style, which is largely late Victorian/Edwardian in nature.

 3.       Access to the site is restricted as the lane network behind Military Road is both narrow and has a difficult turn into the school gateway. The lane from the gate on Cannons Lane to the original school playground is narrow and it would be difficult to accommodate both vehicles and pedestrians at the same time. There is also limited access for emergency vehicles. See my note attached.

4.       The school buildings are a known and current roost for bats (as described on the internet blog http://saveoldpennarschool.blogspot.com/2015/04/bats-roost-in-old-pennar-school.html). No acknowledgment of this is made by the developer. This again indicates the cavalier attitude and lack of sensitivity with which this application has been approached.

5.       The proposed development infringes the privacy of the existing homes on School  Gardens. The properties are overlooked by the north facing windows of the new development.

6.       The application pays lip service to the facilities available to the residents of the new development, but most of the distances quoted  in the access statement are inaccurate. Please see my later notes.

7.       The Old Pennar School has an important place in the history of the community of Pennar and is a significant hill top landmark. It is the place where the firefighters who fought the oil tanks blaze at Llanreath/Pennar in August 1940 rested. They were treated royally by the local population. The school was a place where heroes rested.

As Phil Carradice, well known local author, historian and broadcaster, is quoted in the blog post Phil Carradice Speaks about Old Pennar School:

“Pennar School was one of many institutions that brought education to everyone and, as such, it is an historic building that needs to be preserved, not demolished to build yet more houses.”

I feel very qualified to speak out about this planning application as I have looked at the building from the house where I was brought up for the last 50+ years. I went to the school and my mother taught at the school.

I am certain that there are better options that could be employed to preserve the building and yet give it a useful role again.

Its wanton destruction will be a lasting memorial to those who have little regard or sense of place for the community of Pennar. The building is sound, well built (apart from the likely introduction of asbestos based materials when “renovated “ many years ago) and has good internal features that could be saved.

 I hope that the information I have provided in this letter and enclosures, as well as on the blog site

 www.saveoldpennarschool.blogspot.com

 is useful in exhorting you to refuse the application.

There are planning grounds that would allow you to refuse the application, but beyond those, the demolition of the school would do a grave injustice to the people of Pennar and their heritage.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Adrian James

 

 

Comments on Planning Application:  Pembrokeshire County Council : 14/1098/PA

Application Details

Planning Application Ref: 14/1098/PA 

Validated Date: 15-Apr-2015 

 Application Type: Major (Full) 

Site Notice End: 13-May-2015

Publicity Notice End: 06-May-2015

Area: Pembroke Dock Town Council 

Community:Pembroke Dock: Pennar 

Main Location: Old Pennar School, Treowen Road, Pennar, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, SA72 6NZ 

Full Description: Demolish existing school and erection of 15 dwellings 

 

Applicant Details

Title: 

Forename/Initial: 

Surname/Company Name: Pembrokeshire Housing Association 

Company Contact Name: Sam Stalbow 

Address: Meyler House, St Thomas Green, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA61 1QP 

Case Officer:Martin Allen 

Agent Details

Title: 

Forename/Initial: 

Surname/Company Name: Trevor Hopkins Associates Ltd 

Company Contact Name: Trevor Hopkins 

Address: Parc House, Parc Teifi Business Park, Cardigan, Ceredigion, SA43 1EW 

 

Comments

 

Planning Papers

·         The Applicant has made no effort to engage or consult with the local community as part of an application that seeks to obliterate a place that has played an important role within the community of Pennar.

·         The building marked for demolition is a significant landmark within the community.

·         The new buildings pay no respect to what is on the site at present.

·         No acknowledgement or recognition of the ecological impact on protected species (known to be on the site)  is present in the application.

·         Swept Path Analysis Dennis Sabre Fire Engine (LWB) for Old Pennar School.

Access to the rear of the building for emergency vehicles is restricted. Any major fire emergency would require the attendance of more than one vehicle, which based upon the plans provided and personal knowledge of the site, would be difficult if not impossible to accomplish safely.  (Further Comment awaited by me from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue)

 

 

Design and Access Statement

 

·         Page 7. Access for all vehicles is restricted. It is likely that at least some of the houses or flats will have occupants who own more than one vehicle.  Parking is limited to 16 vehicles for 15 households.

·         Distances to amenities are inaccurate:

Distance quoted by developer’s agents. Probably straight line distances.	Walking or driving distances are:
	Drive	Walk
Convenience Shop – 150 metres	480 metres	190 metres
Local Shopping Centre  - 500 metres	2000 metres	1370 metres
Doctors – 1300 metres	2120 metres	1480 metres
School – 600 metres	420 metres	420 metres
Public Open Space – 500 metres	960 metres	400 metres
Train Station  - 1400 metres	1850 metres	1520 metres

 

·         Page 8. Community/Neighbourhood Engagement – It would seem that the developer has made little effort to seek community involvement in this project. I am unable to find evidence of any.

·         Page 10. I know of no place called “square and Compass” in Pennar and the site does certainly not adjoin the settlement boundary.

·         Page 11. The design is out of scale and pays little regard to local architectural design. The buildings, unlike those in the neighbouring site of “School Gardens” occupy a prominent, hill top position and destroy a distinctive community landmark in Pennar which has important historical connections with events in the area.

·         The paragraph quoted below;

·         Is clearly untrue in every respect. The design, location and construction meet none of the values expressed in the above paragraph as quoted by the developer.

·         Page 12. Likewise,

·         is clearly untrue for this proposal in almost every respect.

 

 

·         Page 13. This;

      

·         demonstrates quite clearly demonstrates the scant regard that a developer, supposedly with some degree of social and emotional intelligence, pays to local feeling and sense of place.

·         Pages 14-16.  Design Concept of Proposed Development

This is largely standard, formulaic “waffle”. The focus on the use of cycling is naively admirable, but not a vital consideration in Pennar where the local authority has made very little allowance for their safe use on the hilly road system.

·         The properties in School Gardens will be overlooked and have some infringement of their privacy.

·         The proposal constitutes over development of the site.

 

For other comments, very relevant to this issue:

www.savepennarschool.blogspot.com

 

Old Pennar School - What you might get for the rocks etc...

Why demolish Old Pennar School?

One reason could be the value of the actual demolition materials.

This point was raised at the meeting in Pennar Hall on 11 June 2015. It was poo-pooed by members of the panel, the reason being given that the sale price of such demolition material was very low, and hence not a factor. I thought I would look into this. I came across a website that caters for the sale and exchangw of architectural salvage. This was SalvoWeb.com.

I warn you now, in advance, that if you look at this website you will either think about demolishing your house to sell it off bit by bit or you will buy all sorts of glorious features for your garden.

If I get a moment (or several), I will try and work out the actual income that could be generated from the sale of the building for salvage, but for now I will just quote some prices for items, similar to those that could come from the school, if it were knocked down in a moment of insanity.

Before I start, there is a well known story locally, (as to its veracity I cannot say, but there is oft truth behind the folklore), that the purchase of another iconic PD landmark was closely followed by its demolition. The amount paid for the building was reputedly £10,000, which was amply recouped by the developer who sold all the stone, timber and architectural metalwork for a price that far exceeded his outlay. Some, it is said, in the inns and bars in the town, even crossed the Atlantic to a new life in the New World.

Judge for yourself.

Stone work.

For example, if the building is built from random Old Red Sandstone or random Carboniferous Limestone, with just the quoins (corner blocks) and window/door surrounds of worked and shaped Carboniferous Limestone (the grey stuff) then the going rate for these materials is:

Old Red Sandstone random stones:  about £120 + VAT per ton.
Cartboniferous Limestone random stone: about £60 + VAT per large builders bag up to £250 + VAT per ton.
Worked and shaped Carboniferous limestone blocks: about £220 + VAT per ton.

Both of types of stone mentioned above would have been sourced locally.

Stonework around windows and doors   ...more difficult to quantify, but a small example I found online, being about 1.5 metres x 2 metres was £250 + VAT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timbers

The roof timbers would seem to be the original timbers put in when the school was built. c1873 and extended c1890.

If the timbers are deal (softwood): For example, 30ft x 15 inches x 15 inches, £350 + VAT per beam.
If Oak, a price of about £50 per cubic foot seems to be the going rate, give or take a few £s. The local source for timber, was of course the Royal Dockyard, which often auctioned off surplus stocks (and there was lots of it!), Some of the timbers might even be more exotic - who knows?

Roof tiles

If the roofing is Welsh Slate (I am a bit dubious about this, although that is how I have heard it described), then they are about £0.70 to £1.30 + VAT each.

Anyway, I do not think that the demolition materials are worth but little money? Do you?

Old Pennar School - Who to contact (Part 2)

In my last post I gave the contact details of people or organisation you can contact to express any concerns you might have about the way the future of Old Pennar School has been handled by Pembrokeshire County Council. This would include any concerns you have of a procedural nature. This would include any decisions or standpoints that the council is taking that seem to be contrary to their own Local Development Plan and other policies.

News paper cutting: November 1883

In this post I will start to mention some organisations you could contact to express concerns about the loss of a very important local community landmark and building which has for generations been part of the main focus of the community of Pennar. This post will be about CADW.

First a brief recap of the way in which historical monuments can be protected by designation in law. The two "systems" are scheduling and listing.

Scheduling

A Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) is one that , in CADW's own words:

"The one factor common to nearly all scheduled ancient monuments is that they are archaeological sites, ruins or buildings for which there is little prospect of economic use. It is this which distinguishes them from listed buildings. A structure cannot be scheduled as an ancient monument if it is in use either as a dwelling house or for ecclesiastical purposes.

Some structures are both scheduled and listed. Mostly these are unoccupied buildings, such as medieval barns or dovecotes, as well as some industrial monuments and a selection of bridges. Occasional areas of overlap reflect the fact that the scheduling process predated the listed buildings legislation."
 

A pamphlet about Scheduled Ancient Monuments and the law relating to them in Wales can be obtained from here.

What is Scheduling?

Sometimes buildings get de-scheduled. A local example of this is the Dockyard Chapel in Pembroke Dock. This was  to enable it to be restored to its wonderful present state. See posts in

 www.PDboyinsuffolk.blogspot.com

Listing

When a building is listed, it conveys different levels of protection. Listing can apply to just part of a building as well.

Again in CADW's own words:

"Buildings are assessed against criteria set out in Circulars 61/96 & 1/98. The principles of selection were originally drawn up by an expert committee of architects, antiquarians and historians and are still followed today, although the criteria are revised periodically. The following are the main criteria:

• Architectural interest: buildings important to the nation for the interest of their architectural design, decoration and craftsmanship; also important examples of particular building types and techniques (for example,buildings displaying technological innovation or virtuosity) and significant plan forms;

• Historic interest: buildings which illustrate important aspects of the nation’s social, economic, cultural or military history;

• Close historical associations with people or events of importance to Wales;

• Group value: especially where the buildings comprise an important architectural or historic unity or a fine example of planning (for example, squares, terraces or model villages).

 In considering whether to list a building, the Assembly is advised by the professional Inspectorate of Historic Buildings within Cadw, which makes assessments in the light of these principles. Local authorities and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (RCAHMW) are also consulted. Gardens, however exceptional, cannot be listed, though garden structures can be listed individually. Cadw has prepared a non-statutory register of parks and gardens of historic interest which provides information on sites of interest."

Further information can be found here:

What is Listing?
 

 

Also:

"Listed buildings are classified in grades to show their relative importance.
The grades are:

 • I — Buildings of exceptional, usually national, interest. Currently, fewer than two per cent of buildings listed in Wales qualify for this grade;

• II* — Particularly important buildings of more than special interest;

• II — Buildings of special interest, which warrant every effort being made
to preserve them."

 CADW can be contacted directly: at:

Cadw
Welsh Government
Plas Carew
Unit 5/7 Cefn Coed
Parc Nantgarw
Cardiff
CF15 7QQ

Tel:  01443 336000
Fax:  01443 336001
E-mail: cadw@wales.gsi.gov.uk

It is better to ask to speak to or email:

Kate Clark, Cadw's Director. Kate joined Cadw in 2014, with a background in museums and heritage in Australia and the UK. As the Director she is responsible for overseeing the multi-disciplinary work of Cadw, including the direct management of monuments in State care, specialist policy, statutory responsibilities, conservation, visitor and commercial functions. The Director reports to the Director of Culture and Sport and is accountable to Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.
Email Kate Clark Kate.Clark@wales.gsi.gov.uk


Gwilym Hughes, Assistant Director Historic Environment.  Gwilym joined Cadw in 2007 and is responsible for the policies and actions which aim to protect the Welsh historic environment.
Email Gwilym Hughes Gwilym.Hughes2@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Lucy O’Donnell, Assistant Director Public Engagement and Governance.  Lucy joined Cadw in 2011 and is responsible for the services which make the Welsh historic environment interesting and relevant and through which Cadw is accountable to the public.
Email Lucy O’Donnell Lucy.O'Donnell@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Old Pennar - who to contact (Part 1)

The meeting on 11th June 2015 was well attended - 65 from all sides present. As it was an informal discussion, no minutes were taken. The meeting lasted over 90 minutes.

The members of the panel:

Pembrokeshire Housing Association;
Pembrokeshire County Council;
Pembroke Town Council;
Councillor Tony Wilcox;

can now be under no illusion over the depth of feeling over the proposal to demolish Old Pennar School.

I was asked by several of those present to provide contact details for people or organisations that might be able offer support or guidance for our objections to the demolition of Old Pennar School.

People you may wish to contact to seek further clarification on any procedural concerns you might have concerning the sale and proposed demolition of Old Pennar School. For example, if you have expressed an interest in the property and have been denied a request to view it even though this contravenes Pembrokeshire County Council's own guidelines as expressed on their website.
Note:

• Conditions of Sale  1) The purchaser is responsible for ensuring that they are satisfied by way of inspection or otherwise as to the correctness of these particulars, which do not constitute any part of any contract.  2) The Council does not give and the Councils employees have no authority to make or give any representation or warranty whatsoever in relation to the property.  3) All measurements and areas are approximate and given as a guide only.  4) The Council has a duty to consider any offers received prior to an exchange of contracts.  5) The vendor does not undertake to accept the highest or any offer and no offer should be made which is calculable by reference to the offer of another party.  6) Whilst every care has been taken in the preparation of these particulars their accuracy is not guaranteed and interested parties must satisfy themselves on all matters upon which their offer is based.  NOTE: The parties mentioned below, regardless of political affiliations, have a DUTY to listen to and respond to their constituents concerns. It is their job.

Angela Burns AM / AC

Welsh Conservative Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire / Aelod y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig dros Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro.

14 Market Square
Narberth
Pembrokeshire
SA67 7AU

Tel: 01834 862725

email: Angela.Burns@Assembly.Wales

Simon Hart, MP

In writing:

15 St John Street
Whitland
Carmarthenshire
SA340AN

In person:
Alternatively, if you would like to meet me at one of my surgeries then please ring my office on 01994 342002 to book an appointment. These are held regularly throughout Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

By telephone:
The best way to contact me is to ring my constituency office on 01994 342002 or you can also try calling me in the House of Commons on 0207 219 3000

By email: simon.hart.mp@parliament.uk
"Please include your address on any correspondence to enable me to help you more quickly."

I have emailed both of the above representatives. Angela Burns, AM responded very quickly and has made the point that she would wish to hear from her constituents in order to gauge the level of concern over the matter.

Simon Hart, MP has yet to reply other than by an automated response, to my email. This may be because I am not a local constituent, so I will raise the matter with my own MP and ask for Mr Hart to be informed about the concerns that were expressed at the meeting in Pennar Hall and in the letters of objection to the council.

COUNCILLOR TONY WILCOX

 

Tel: 01646 621942

25 Owen Street,

Pennar,

Pembroke Dock,

SA72 6SLAnthony.wilcox125@btinternet.com

 

Pembrokeshire County Council.

"Making a Complaint - What can I complain about?

We take all complaints seriously. If, as a customers of services from Pembrokeshire County Council, you are not happy with the way we've dealt with you, we want you to tell us so that we can, where possible, sort out the problems and provide a resolution."

 

Pembrokeshire County Council - Complaints

 

Public Service Ombudsman for Wales

The website for the ombudsman gives full contact details and how to make a complaint.

http://www.ombudsman-wales.org.uk/

Public Services Ombudsman for Wales
1 Ffordd yr Hen Gae
Pencoed
CF35 5LJ

Tel: 0300 790 0203
Fax: (01656) 641199