Bartons

During our last financial year to the end of September, terms were agreed for the sale of land in the Company's ownership on Huntingdon Street in Nottingham.

In very simple terms, the sale contract agreed required only the removal of the currently unused building to leave a level, vacant, freehold site in order to complete.

We have long aspired, if it were possible, to relocate the building currently upon that land, which this Company built in 1939, to the major development site at Chilwell, where the first phase of residential construction is now well underway. In Huntingdon Street the building had become lost among buildings of a totally different scale and character, which will only in our opinion get much worse. The feasibility of the project was intimately assessed by experts and judged achievable and very attractive as part of our comprehensive Chilwell scheme.

Careful dismantling of the building was due to start on the 21st August 2019 with a view to completing the preliminary part of the project around the end of November or early December 2019.

All arrangements were in hand for this to happen, but these had to be halted on August 16th by the completely unexpected Grade II listing of the building, without any prior indication, notice or public consultation that this might occur. We have subsequently been told an application to list the building had been made only on the 31st July. No formal third party interest in its architectural or historic merit has ever previously been expressed to us. More of this in the future.

Following the listing application, on the 7th of August 2019, a press story, itself based upon a press release provided by others, was published by a local news outlet without the Company's prior knowledge, and therefore without our being given a right of reply.

The misinformed story quickly spread onto social media, and as written, caused a limited degree of unhelpful and adverse comment about what others perceived our plans to be. The Grade II listing of the building followed this coverage. As the truth started to emerge, however, there were many positive comments supporting our actual intentions .

We are now in a position to reveal in our own words the true story of what we believe influenced the unexpected listing of the building which has thrown well ordered plans into un-chartered waters. We would encourage you to follow the story and the reaction to it; and once you have heard it, feel free to comment to us privately or publicly as you wish, as we are interested to hear your views.

We intend to use all suitable methods to share our story and this is why we are taking this opportunity to draw this to your attention.