AN old hospital building in St Albans is to be demolished to make way for housing, it was revealed on Monday, March 4.

The decision to allow developers to knock down a former NHS administration building in Princess Diana Drive has come under attack from Trestle Theatre Company.

The drama group, which is restoring a former chapel opposite the site to use as a base, appealed to St Albans District Council to reject the development plans at a planning meeting on Monday, March 4.

Speaking after the meeting, Trestle's building development manager Penny Mayes said the building was of strong historical and architectural interest.

She added: "The building has a history in its own right as a hospital. It is a really lovely building and it's about 100 years old.

"We have restored the chapel and it would make the whole circle complete to keep the building as it is.

"We would have loved to have seen it turned into an art gallery or something in sympathy with the environment. I think it is well worth saving."

A council officer admitted the old hospital had been identified as being of architectural and historic merit and worth retaining in a council planning brief and policy.

However, he said the council had no power to protect the building because it is not listed, nor in a conservation area.

The application from Martin Grant Homes Ltd includes the construction of seven terraced houses on the 0.36 acre site.

The two to three-bedroomed homes would be two or three storeys high with rear gardens and 16 parking spaces.

Before agreeing to pass the plans, Councillor Sean Flynn said: "It is an awful shame to destroy this building.

"Buildings like this add a bit of character to the area. I am sorry that it has not been protected before now."

A request for the developers to preserve the building's clock tower was added to the planning permission.