Chetwynd Barracks still contains a rich collection of Heritage buildings. The WWI Memorial for those civilians who lost their lives in the explosion in July 1918 (134 died, 250 injured) when the original site was National Shell Filling Factory No6 is today Grade 2 listed and is in a prominent position at the head of the memorial gardens. There are other buildings that are also original and date to the original site designed by Lord Chetwynd. They are: Building 157 (the former shell filled store), that you can see from Swiney way; Building 137 (the former infirmary); Building 125 (the former drawing offices, now command building); Building 101 (Woodside House, officers mess); Building 102 (Williams Barracks, the former press house) that is the prominent building up on the hill.
We would like to see where possible, these building preserved and given new leases of life that would benefit our community. As such we went through these buildings with the KEFA team and came up with our preferred options to be considered. As such KEFA went further and drew up potential plans to help us realise our ambitions, if feasible. The odd one out in this respect is Building 157. This is a 9 acre building. As such we have offered a series of options, with the “nuclear option” of taking it down, that we currently think would be the DIO’s option, in which case we have suggested a possible housing outcome as you will see.
As ever feel free to comment on these ideas or offer other solutions on the link attached and we will respond where we can and so all have access to the comments made.
