Wawne Bunker, Trust formed
Nigel Whittington
HEADLINE:- War Memorial bid finds allies
By Graeme Paton ,gpa...@hulldailymail.co.uk> News Reporter.
Residents of an east riding villiage have won powerful allies in their
fight to save a Cold War bunker.
The future of the East Riding Council emergency planning shelter, in
Wawne is hanging in the balance after a decision by the authorities to
declare it surplus to requirements.
The shelter, in Meaux Rd, was built after the Second World War as part
of an ant-aircraft system developed along the east coast to guard
against Russian bombers.
It was then transferred to the Hull Corporation to be used as an
emergency planning shelter -before falling into the hands of
Humberside County Council and latterly East Riding Council. Residents
have been campaigning to maintain the building as a museum but they
fear it may be knocked down to make way for new houses.
The newly formed Wawne Bunker Trust - created from the Wawne Action
Group - has now submitted a "nominal" offer to the council to buy the
building.
John Read, the council's valuations and estates manager, said a report
was now being prepared to go before the ruling executive later this
month - when a decision will be made on the bunker's future.
But he refused to disclose how many offers had been made and what
recommendation he would make to the councillors.
The Wawne Bunker Trust intends to keep the main bunker as a Cold War
Museum.
An adjoining warehouse would be turned into a memorial to the victims
of First and Second World War bombing in Hull.
And the campaign has won the support of Parliamentary candidate for
Beverley and Holderness, Jim Cran. He has pledged to support the group
by writing to council chief executive Darryl Stephenson.
It is understood that senior Kingston upon Hull City councillors are
also keen that the building be developed as a memorial.
David Skinner, chairman of the trust said " Hopefully we can work
together on this, having this backing will add a little extra
credibility."
ENDS
Nigel Whittington