As many of you will be aware one of the buildings at Grove was torched the other week, since then we have discovered that the authorities would like to flatten the place, headgear and all, now bearing in mind this the last remaining headgear and associated buildings left in the Northern Orefield the Durham Cave and Mine Club have opened a page on Facebook to try and get people together to hopefully make enough noise to save the site, i have posted on the Aditnow Facebook page with a link to the page, we need as many people as possible to try and save these important industrial remains for future generations to admire, cheers in advance everyone :thumbsup:

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Good luck with that, be a great shame to lose that headgear from the skyline.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/193413674329564/ 

A few suggestions for what I'd be doing if this was on my patch and I was trying to prevent demolition.

Contact HE and try and dig deeper on why they haven't listed - if they think there are better examples of late 20th century non-coal headstocks and engine houses, ask them which ones and what makes them of greater importance. I'd also ask if they've consulted their national advisor on minerals issues (Jon Humble) for his opinion on the importance of the standing structures at Grove Rake. Consider what other remains are left in the North Pennines from post-WW2 fluorspar mining and how Grove Rake compares with those other sites, also what remains there are in other parts of the country from that period, then use this to make the case for the importance of Grove Rake in both a regional and a national context.

Also, has anyone alerted Peter Claughton (NAMHO conservation officer) to the threat?

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A few background notes:

A scheduling attempt was made - NAMHO was involved. The application for scheduling was rejected. This decision is presently under appeal.

An approach has been made to the landowner and a reply is awaited.(I am involved with two others in that approach).

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thankyou Gentlemen, would you consider joining the group (if you haven't already), i feel your input would be invaluable, be a shame to see it all go

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Listing, and scheduling are two different things.

If an appeal is pending (for scheduling) is the site not given temporary protection pending the outcome.

I believe sites can be both scheduled and listed, although not 100% sure on that.

Listing, and scheduling are two different things.

If an appeal is pending (for scheduling) is the site not given temporary protection pending the outcome.

I believe sites can be both scheduled and listed, although not 100% sure on that.

A site can be Scheduled, with buildings/structures given Listed status within the site

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Has any attempt been made to get any of the buildings listed? Although not as "strong" as being scheduled, it would at least be something if the appeal on scheduling does fail.

Anecdotally, I understand from recent conversations, that none of the stakeholders are particularly 'anti' Groverake per se, but especially since the winder house collapse, liability issues may be to the fore, and will no doubt dictate the final outcome.

My favoured solution would be for the headgear to be repurposed as the boarding platform for a zipwire down to Wolfcleugh :devil:

MARK

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Listing or scheduling the site or buildings only prevents someone knocking them down, (in theory.)
A council can and will still get permission to demolish if it suits them.
There is no obligation on the owner to preserve or restore any such building.
In fact it can be seen as a disadvantage because once scheduled or listed the planning and building becomes subject to much more scrutiny (and cost.)

Listing or scheduling the site or buildings only prevents someone knocking them down, (in theory.)
A council can and will still get permission to demolish if it suits them.
There is no obligation on the owner to preserve or restore any such building.
In fact it can be seen as a disadvantage because once scheduled or listed the planning and building becomes subject to much more scrutiny (and cost.)

Unfortunately that is far too true 😞