Backing for demolition of former Barclays Bank in March Broad Street dubbed ‘ugliest building’

Councillors have backed an application to demolish a former bank dubbed “town’s ugliest” building.

Fenland District Council’s planning application to demolish the former Barclays Bank in Broad Street, March, was discussed at a town council meeting on Monday night.

The district council, which bought the building in spring 2023 for around £700,000, wants to knock the prominent building down and erect a fence to ready the site for sale.

The building was bought using money from the £1.7million allocated as part of the £8million Future High Streets funding from the Government which paid for the recent refurbishment of Broad Street.

Cllr Jennifer Lawler said “lots of people” have spoken to her about the building and raised concerns about it being demolished.

She said many had suggested saving it and giving it a new facade adding the Twentieth Century Society – a campaign group that champions outstanding buildings of the century “like it”.

However, clerk Sarah Lemmon said: “In my opinion it is the ugliest building in March,”

Cllr Martin Field raised concerns about the demolition leaving a blot on the landscape and cited the former March Freezer Centre in Station Road as an example of what could happen.

He said that was demolished and has been left vacant for years.

“We don’t want that happening here. It may not be a particularly attractive building, but it is better than a demolition site.”

Questions were also asked about the possibility of retaining the building and repurposing it, but Ms Lemmon said it is not suitable for much else other than a bank.

She said Octavius, the contractors that did the Broad Street work, had used it as a base, but it was not “very salubrious”.

It as eventually agreed to support the application with three councillors, Lawler, Field and Stephen Court all opting to abstain from voting.