‘Kung Fu panda’ to be removed from town’s historic former Miners’ Institute
A large ornamental panda is to be removed from the roof of an historic Miners’ Institute as part of plans to convert the building into flats.
The scheme includes a revamp of the property, in Moorthorpe, which dates back to the 1900s.
During the early decades of the 20th century, the institute attracted high-profile political speakers of the day, including Labour Party leader George Lansbury and supporters of the suffragette movement.
Wakefield Council has approved plans to renovate the building on Barnsley Road, which currently operates as a martial arts gym.
The building had planning permission for a mix of uses, including a gym, offices, changing rooms, a reception, as well as four one-bedroom flats.
The new scheme allows the building to be converted to create four more apartments.
A heritage statement said it was of “high status” when it was first built but the structure was “failing” and had “lost its original splendour.”
The property has been used as a gym since around 2012.
It added: “The Miners’ Institute clearly served an important role in the day-to-day lives of people from surrounding settlements where collieries provided employment.
“But following the closure of the local collieries, its importance as a community focal point has diminished and its importance to the community has been lost.
“Whilst large areas of the building have already been converted, there are still large areas which survive untouched.
“The new proposals will help protect the building’s future by providing a use that is sustainable into the future.
“The plans can also be used as an opportunity to restore the building fabric.”
Planned work includes repairing the structure and making it waterproof.
The statement said flags and a “large panda” would also be removed and the property would be repainted.
The council’s conservation officer said: “Unsympathetic alterations such as the paint scheme, loss of historic glazing and window frames, and proliferation of signage detract from the building’s appearance and historic understanding.
“We would be pleased to see a sensitive scheme of refurbishment for this fine building, which has social, historic, and aesthetic interest.”
The officer said the removal of the current signs and flags on the building was also supported, adding: “These are overly dominant and detract from the architectural quality of the building.”