A TRUST says it wants to tear down a historic pavilion amid fears for the safety of homeless people believed to be squatting inside.

The Braintree and Bocking Recreation Ground Trust Ground Trust has told council bosses it wants to demolish the pavilion in John Ray Street.

According to the notice sent to Braintree Council: “The building is structurally unsound and the roof is unsealed.

“Homeless people are squatting inside the building on a regular basis and their health and safety is at risk given the structure of the building.”

Aidan Kelly, who has been leading a campaign to save the pavilion, said the news was unexpected.

He said: “It’s very disappointing. We’ve been trying to engage with the trustees and there was no mention of this following the meeting last month. I’m a bit disgusted by it, to be honest.

“The concern is it will be turned into a car park which will be no good other than to the football club for one day a week during the football season.”

A meeting took place between Braintree Council and the trustees last month to encourage community engagement, but no concrete plans were made for the future.

The campaigners have been fighting to save the building which is classed as a non-designated heritage asset of high significance.

They say they hope trustees will work with residents to agree on a use for the site to benefit the community.

In a statement, the trust said once the demolition was complete it would begin to consult with residents and the council on how the land will “best serve the needs for the community now and in the future”.

It said it has “been reviewing the way forward...the views received from individuals and interested community groups have been diverse and varied.

"The overriding requirement for the trust however is that these must fall within the charitable purpose of the trust, which is to provide recreational space with associated facilities for the use of the people of Braintree and Bocking."

It said a “substantially larger building with a focus on community use with facilities to suit” is expected to be needed in the future and said its health and safety responsibilities had been a “substantial factor” in the decision following several break-ins, incidents of vandalism and the building being used by squatters.

The statement continued: “The trustees understand that the demolition of the building will be a disappointment to those who were hoping to see it restored.

“We have thought long and hard before coming to this decision.

“This has not come easily but we feel that, particularly with the current health and safety issues that the building presents, this is the right way forward.”

Bosses at Braintree Council say they will continue to work with the trust over the future of the recreation ground. The council confirmed it had received an application to pull down the pavilion.

A spokesman said: “We have been meeting with the trust to identify what support we can provide them and help advise in terms of building control and planning responsibilities.

“The trust have submitted an application for prior notification for demolition of the building due to health and safety issues.

"The application is required to specify the demolition method so they can regulate details and minimise the impact of the activity on local amenity.

“We know this is an important community asset for the people of Braintree and it is essential that the trust engages with the community to develop a sustainable future for the recreation ground.

"We will continue to work with the community and the trust where required.”