A ‘summit meeting’, scheduled for January 21, will bring together a senior delegation from Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon council and the Ministers for Finance and Communities at Stormont, to discuss controversial plans to list 1970s Craigavon building, Marlborough House.

The delegation will include ABC chief executive, Mr Roger Wilson; ABC Lord Mayor, Councillor Sarah Duffy; chair of the Planning committee, Councillor Scott Armstrong, and a council officer with the appropriate knowledge of the matter.

As the ABC council is allowed a fifth representative, Cllr Armstrong made the following proposal at the December monthly meeting of the local authority: ““In my understanding [we have] an additional space, and I propose that Alderman [Gareth] Wilson would accompany along with that delegation.

“I know he’s been involved in this from the very start. I think that his expertise, especially on the Planning committee, will be thoroughly needed with this in this delegation.”

Marlborough House was built in 1973-77 as part of the initial development of the urban core of the then new city of Craigavon. Credit: Google

placeholder image — Marlborough House was built in 1973-77 as part of the initial development of the urban core of the then new city of Craigavon. Credit: Google

The proposal was seconded by Alderman Paul Greenfield (DUP, Banbridge DEA).

The matter was discussed on a number of occasions, including at a recent Planning & Regulatory Services committee meeting of the council.

Committee members felt that issuing a response solely based on architectural considerations would not cover their serious concerns, which have more to do with the fact that any listing move might stifle growth in what is a vibrant economic hub, and it would also make it extremely hard to find potential buyers, bearing in mind that the building is mostly empty as it is.

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According to Ald Wilson, the building is so poor in terms of energy efficiency – whether due to its heating system or inadequate insulation – that finding a future for Marlborough House, as an unaltered listed building, could be problematic.

The DUP representative for Cusher DEA commented at the October 28 meeting of ABC: “I’ve done my own research through my local MLA in terms of the actual building itself and its value, its worth. And the Finance Minister [stated] that it is one of the worst performing buildings in terms of energy efficiency.

“We have a climate responsibility within Council, and I know Stormont on a wider basis is doing a lot of work on that.”