It might not be the most impressive example of Leeds’s proud industrial heritage.
But this dilapidated 19th century archway is likely to be painstakingly dismantled as part of work to create a new entrance at Leeds Railway Station – so that it can be carefully rebuilt.
The arch, on Water Lane near the city centre, is virtually all that remains of a 19th century warehouse demolished several years ago.
Developers behind the scheme to build a south entrance at the station have labelled it “fragmentary and in poor condition”.
They want to remove it to clear an area for materials to be loaded onto barges during building work.
But they have vowed to restore it in its current condition once the £15.9m project is nearing completion.
Kevin Grady, director of Leeds Civic Trust, described the arch as a “quaint, curious artefact” and said it was worth preserving.
He said: “It’s part of the city’s heritage, it’s a curiosity and it adds to the visual interest for people wandering along the south side of the waterfront.”
Metro and Network Rail have drawn up plans to start work on the new station entrance next year, with a completion date of 2014.
The archway, which is at the end of Water Lane at the back of the Asda car park, is in an area earmarked for a temporary construction site.
A planning application says “the overall derelict appearance of the area creates a negative impact.”
But the arch, which is in a conservation area, would be carefully photographed before being removed piece by piece.
The application said: “The structure will be dismantled in a systematic manner. The mortar will be removed allowing all brick and stonework to be retained and the fabric preserved.”
It would be reinstated during the final construction phase of the railway entrance project.
Dr Grady said: “When it’s rebuilt, it should be rebuilt in its current state – not too pristine.”
Comments