Calls for Wetherby Swinnow Hall foundations to be left on show

Wetherby Civic Society has asked housing developers Taylor Wimpey to leave the stone foundations of Swinnow Hall uncovered instead of building three properties on it, as part of its 785 property plans, off Racecourse Approach.

Peter Catton, of the society, said: “Wetherby Civic Society has asked that the foundations of the Hall should be covered and form part of a small grassed area planned for that section of the development.

“We suggested that the site should be grassed and that the footprint of the foundations should be marked with a gravel pathway.

“Along with a notice board explaining the history of the Hall, this would commemorate and preserve these foundations for future generations.

“This amendment to the Taylor Wimpey layout would remove three houses from the planned 785 which are in the current proposals.”

Recent pre-development archaeological excavations on the site revealed the remains of a Romano-British earthwork enclosure and the Swinnow Hall foundations and they went on show to the public at a special open day.

The work had been undertaken on behalf of Taylor Wimpey to meet a requirement set in the outline approval for the building of 800 houses.

The plans have caused controversy, with many residents citing expected overload for local facilities such as doctors and roads.

Civic Society leaders revealed this week that Taylor Wimpey has refused the Civic Society’s request to leave the foundations and will instead dig out the Hall’s foundations to build three houses on the site.

The developer will commemorate Swinnow Hall with a notice board and some of the foundation stones on the adjacent small grassed area.

Mr Catton said: “It is disappointing that Taylor Wimpey has refused our request and should place the profits from the sale of three houses above preserving the heritage of Wetherby.

“It is ironic that they should be calling the development Swinnow Park since they plan to destroy the remains of Swinnow Hall after which the Park was named.”

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: “Extensive archaeological excavations at the site of our proposed development in Wetherby identified and recorded the remains of a Roman enclosure and the former Swinnow Hall.

“As is standard practice with excavations of this nature, artefacts of interest are being removed and analysed by specialists before being handed over to the care of a local museum.

“We recognise that the finds are of local value and, working with our archaeological consultants, intend to place a number of the foundation stones from Swinnow Hall within our proposed development alongside an information board explaining the finds for future generations.”