Online petition to save part of Britain's WW2 heritage: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/buckinghamshire-county-council-and-south-bucks-district-council-save-shean-block-at-wilton-park-beaconsfield-2 http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/buckinghamshire-county-council-and-south-bucks-district-council-save-shean-block-at-wilton-park-beaconsfield-2
good day psywar.org,yesterday.09:07 am.re:m19's wartime hq under threat.it looks sadly neglected.there is not much known of the activity's in the general public.wish you luck in your venture,its hard getting funds for a bld in an out of the way place.you know what they say.out of site,out of mind,and woul not 300 homes be more usefull in this day and age,all the best bernard85
A valid point Bernard. Wilton Park is a huge site and Shean Block is a small part of it on the edge of the estate. If the planning takes it into account, it should be possible to maintain the building without affecting the density of the proposed housing. Yes the building has been neglected, just like the huts at Bletchley Park. Just noticed the petition has been signed by a WW2 veteran who worked at Wilton Park during the war as a 'secret listener'. Lee
A local press report on it here: http://www.getbucks.co.uk/news/local-news/wilton-park-historic-building-demolished-7825393
apparently the developer did the deed before local authority consent was given - lets hope they get a hefty fine at least equal to their profits
Compared with the income from selling the developments? Or the fee for the work? Drop in a bucket. Philistines. And I bet all we'll get out of EH is "Oh dear, you've been very naughty, don't do it again".
Happening round here with trees. One developer has 'accidentally' chopped down too many ( and which were mature 30yr olds) and another has 'pruned' one to the point where it will not survive. Yet another apparently chopped down a whole load of trees as soon as he bought the land but before applying for planning permission: that way there is no way they can be covered by planning restraints and there were no preservation orders. Simple way forwards is that any breach of this type should result in the development being put on hold until replacement trees etc have returned to the state existing just prior to their demise. That would make them think!
Perhaps they could get tough and get the said developer to restore the site as it used to be and as it should be?
Many people were clearly outraged by the demolition last week of the WW2 building Shean Block. A new petition has gone up on Change.org asking the Council to go after the developer and build a heritage centre of some kind. Here is the new link: https://www.change.org/p/south-bucks-district-council-pursue-inland-homes-for-demolition-of-shean-block-and-construction-of-heritage-centre
Historian Dr Helen Fry, author of "The M Room" and "Spymaster: The Secret Life of Kendrick" will be talking about the demolition of MI9's Wilton Park headquarters on BBC 3 Counties Radio at 3:50 pm this afternoon. Listen live here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/player/bbc_three_counties_radio
The developers are Inland Homes & chief executive is Stephen Wicks http://www.wiltonparkfuture.com/ Here is the link to BBC Three Counties where Historian Dr Helen Fry speaks about the Sean Block, go to 52:00. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p026s76j Brithm
CEO of the Developer which demolished Shean Block responds on the petition: https://www.change.org/p/south-bucks-district-council-pursue-inland-homes-for-demolition-of-shean-block-and-construction-of-heritage-centre It's worth pointing out that the importance of Shean Block was brought up in numerous submissions to the public consultation on the future of Wilton Park earlier this year.
Given the site is not designated as a heritage asset (Scheduled, Listed etc) then EH have no powers to intervene. It is a matter for the local planning authority. CS
Had to scroll through the comments to find it, in case it gets lost: Stephen Wicks AMERSHAM, UNITED KINGDOM 1 day ago Liked 0 As a director of the development company concerned, I would like to set the record straight. We did not need a consent to demolish the Shean block and served the correct demolition notices on the council. English heritage reviewed the position with this building some time ago and declared it was not worthy of retention. Shean block stood in the way of a much needed relief road which is urgently required. We understand the importance of the previous use of this site and have every intention to work with interested parties to establish a permanent legacy centre on site. We resent the "trial by internet" of our company by Sarah Paterson, a well meaning person no doubt but making allegations that are completely incorrect. Very happy to meet at the appropriate time. Stephen Wicks CEO Inland Homes
And no one listens to them. "There should be acknowledgement of the potential for the foundations of the former mansion and service buildings to remain as archaeological deposits; the archaeological significance of the number of historic routeways crossing this area; the potential historic significance of Shean Block, which may have been one of the wartime interrogation and detention blocks, and historic significance of the early 1950s Eastern Command Armed Forces Head Quarters (AFHQ) bunker, which is believed to be a unique example of such a bunker and which should therefore be retained." http://www.southbucks.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=4885&p=0
On Twitter a short account of an ATS lady seconded to MI9 @ Wilton Park, via the Military Intelligence Museum: https://twitter.com/mi_intel/status/1508398813651914752/photo/1