HISTORIC England has hit out at plans to pull down an iconic building in Colchester High Street and replace it with nine apartments.

Neil Bischoff has applied for planning permission to demolish the former Colchester Conservative Club as well as the retail unit below, belonging to Claydons Newsagents.

The retail unit would be rebuilt for the same tenant whilst nine flats, five one-bed and four two-beds, would be built over three floors.

But Historic England, a statutory consultee on planning applications, has urged Colchester Council to reject the plans with the premises sitting in a conservation area.

It said: “Historic England objects to the application on heritage grounds.

“We consider the demolition of the existing building would bring a loss to the diversity of the architecture in the street scene and would result in harm to the character of the conservation area.

“We also have concern the scale and form of the proposed new development is disproportionate to the existing streetscape and would therefore also be potentially harmful to the significance of the conservation area, the castle scheduled monument and park and garden and other listed assets, through a development within their setting.

“Furthermore, we consider the existing buildings are capable of reuse and we consider they should therefore be retained.”

Colchester Conservative Club, which moved to the High Street premises in 1928, closed for good in 2018 due to dwindling membership and the declining use of the club by the community.

During its heyday it welcomed many political big hitters to the premises, including a young Margaret Roberts, later Baroness Thatcher, who was a regular at the club.

The application has drawn criticism since it was submitted, including from the Dutch Quarter Association, which represents residents living in the historic Dutch Quarter.

The group said: “This is an important historical building which stands at the entrance to the Dutch Quarter from the High Street and it should not be demolished but sensitively restored.

“Any other action would detract from the character of the town centre conservation area.

“We also believe a listed status should be sought for this building.”

Colchester Council will have the final say on the plans.