Don’t bury history under new houses (From Worcester News)

Campaigners in battle to preserve memory of historic wharf

7:30am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in News By Tom Edwards

MY VISION: Former engineer John Cowie, who lives in Merriman’s Hill, Worcester, wants the former brickworks loading wharf restored. Picture by John Anyon. 46178901

DESPERATE campaigners are calling for the restoration and upkeep of a historic canal wharf in Worcester before it is too late.

Developer St Modwen wants to build 170 new homes at Gregory’s Bank Industrial Estate in Merriman’s Hill Road, which lies next to a run-down wharf that served Barker’s Brickworks until the 1950s.

John Cowie, who lives nearby, wants the developer to create an interpretation board so passers-by realise the symbolic importance of the site, which helped the brickwork industry become a major influence in Worcester. Tomorrow, the city council’s planning committee is being asked to approve an application for 45 of the homes, but Mr Cowie says the firm should be asked to restore the canal wharf as part of any approval.

“I’ve lived in the road for 30 years and do a lot of canal boating – so many towns seem to make the most of their canals, but we don’t,” he said. “I still remember when it was used for storage but now it’s very overgrown.”

He is calling for the site to be cleared and turned into an attraction.

A spokesman for St Modwen said it would “not be rebuilding the wharf” but said they would be pleased to erect an information board.