Grade II listed building in Eccles could be partially demolished

The historic Monks Hall in Eccles could be partially demolished in new plans to redevelop the building into homes. 

The Grade II listed building, on Wellington Road in Eccles, could be partially demolished under plans to build a mix of houses and apartments on the site.

The site is currently vacant and has been left that way for some time now since it was last used in 2002 as a restaurant.

The site consists of the remains of Monks Hall, a grassed area to the east and a large hard surfaced area (likely to have been used as a car park).

Since 2002 there had been various planning applications submitted for the site. A scheme to redevelop the site into a residential area was approved by Salford City Council in 2011, however the construction of the development was never started.

As the previous planning applications were not carried out, the vacant building has been broken into numerous times and vandalised. Furthermore, a large fire broke out in 2016 which resulted in the significant deterioration of the remaining building.

Images of Monks Hall taken last year show damaged internal timbers in the building and a collapsed roof that is now non-existent in places.

The planning document states that the current plans involve a “much reduced development” with a “reduction of impacts” on the surrounding area.

The plans include the creation of three new properties in the Monks Hall building. This is made up of three townhouses, four semi-detached houses, one detached home, and 10 apartments. None of these homes are expected to be designated as affordable.

Historical documents suggest Monks Hall dates as far back as 1234 AD, however the current building is not this old.

Four original buildings are thought to have been built on the site before 1500, and the existing building is a structure from the 17th century. Adaptations and extensions of the building have taken place up until the early 20th century.

The developers aim to restore the remains of the Monks Hall building, which will “drastically improve” the building’s external appearance.

To view the planning application on Salford City Council’s planning portal click here.