York Civic Trust is delighted that its campaign to save Burton Stone Community Centre, a handsome Art Deco building on Evelyn Crescent, has been strengthened following its approved addition to York’s Local List.
The Community Centre was originally a gymnasium and communal hall for the former Burton Stone Lane Secondary Modern School. It was designed by renowned York architects Penty & Thompson in an attractive streamline moderne variety of the Art Deco style, with sleek curved walls and prominently elegant tall windows. It is an aesthetic style not well represented in York.
The City of York Council has put forward a planning application to demolish the building to accommodate part of a wider scheme to provide extra care home accommodation. York Civic Trust welcomes the care home provision, but believes that efforts should be made to incorporate the existing Art Deco building into the scheme. This would not only save this important local heritage, but also enhance the visual presence of the care home.
In being successfully added to York’s Local List (it is at the foot of the Local List page), the Community Centre is now formerly recognised as being important heritage of the local community. Furthermore, should the current draft Local Plan be approved, by being included on the Local List, the building would most likely benefit from similar protection from demolition in the planning process as Statutorily listed buildings.