Conservation charity SAVE Britain's Heritage has added 18 new buildings in Greater Manchester to its Buildings at Risk register.
The organisation works to protect historic buildings all over the UK by raising awareness, helping local campaign groups with legal advice and action, and working alongside architects, engineers, planners and investors to come up with alternatives to demolition.
SAVE recently released a report all about Greater Manchester’s historic buildings and the developments that threaten them. Titled ‘Boom not Bust: How Greater Manchester can build the future without destroying its past,’ the report focuses on Manchester city centre, Rochdale and Oldham, featuring a wide range of buildings and architecture – including some iconic local landmarks.
Some of the highlights include the Theatre Royal on Peter Street, which is among oldest surviving theatre buildings in Manchester, and the Charter Street Ragged School in Angel Meadows.
SAVE believes that losing these buildings would ‘rob’ communities of their landmarks and therefore connections to their past. Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain's Heritage, said: "The bricks and mortar of these buildings hold precious stories about the people of Manchester and this region’s world-famous industrial and social history.
“Following on from our recent report ‘Boom not Bust’ we are adding 18 threatened buildings to our SAVE Britain’s Heritage Buildings at Risk register to bring them to national attention and focus. With imagination, determination and political will, they can be part of Greater Manchester's future not just its past."
Here are the 18 Greater Manchester buildings featured in the report and recently added to the Building at Risk register.
More information about the buildings can be found on the SAVE Britain's Heritage website, where you can also buy a copy of their 'Boom not Bust' report.
1. Former Grand Theatre
Located at 51-53 King Street, Oldham, OL8 1EU. Built in 1908, the building has served as a cinema, ballroom, bowling alley, nightclub and snooker club and closed in 2008. Credit: Mark Watson for SAVE Britain’s Heritage
2. Hill Stores
Located at 146-148 Huddersfield Road, Oldham. Built in 1900, it originally housed a range of shops, as well as offices, board rooms and an educational department with a newsroom and library. It also has two ballrooms. Credit: Mark Watson for SAVE Britain’s Heritage
3. 68-70 Oldham Street
Located in the Northern Quarter, Manchester city centre. These two "distinctly decaying" buildings date back to the 1860s. Credit: Mark Watson for SAVE Britain’s Heritage
4. 20 High Street
Located in Manchester city centre, this building is "the last surviving pre-20th century building on this stretch of the High Street, according to SAVE. Credit: Mark Watson for SAVE Britain’s Heritage