Landmark Corby building bulldozed with questions asked over whether developer had permission for demolition

The well-known building has been in a state of disrepair for years since it was vacated by local voluntary groups who had used it as a base.

But local people have been questioning whether the correct permissions were in place to allow the demolition to take place.

Despite repeated questions from this newspaper, our reporters have been met with a wall of silence from the local authority.

The building, which sits on a key gateway site in Corby town centre was once home to members of the territorial army. It was one of the civic buildings that were constructed as part of Corby New Town in the 1950s. After the reservists moved to a new site in Oakley Road, the building was used by voluntary groups and small businesses who rented rooms from its owners, government quango Homes England.

It was sold to private developer Peterborough Homes four years ago, which applied to the council to demolish the existing structures and build a 60-bed care home.

Then arsonists burned out most of the building just a few days after planning permission for the care home was refused.

But last week, bulldozers moved on to the site at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Alexandra Road. Our reporters contacted North Northamptonshire Council last Thursday (May 29) to ask whether the developer had permission for the demolition.

We contacted them again on Friday, then again on Monday and finally today (Thursday) to ask the same question.

No answer has been received.

Ward councillor Robert Bloom (Reform, Lloyds and Corby Old Village) has also not responded to a request for comment.

Neither has the developer, Peterborough Care.

The only official willing to ask questions on behalf of residents was ward councillor Mark Pengelly (Labour, Lloyds and Corby Old Village) who said: “I’ve had several concerned residents call me in relation to this historic building being knocked down.

"They had seen the previous application refused then overnight they saw the building come down with clouds of dust.

"I’m asking is it safe? Should it have had permission? Is it within planning guidelines?

"I’ve kept asking questions and I’ve not had any straight answers.”

People living nearby say their homes and cars have been dusty in recent days and they are unsure whether there are any contaminants in the dust. Dust is a contentious issue in Corby following the botched steelworks clean-up which saw children suffer from deformities as a result of the toxins in the atmosphere.

Planning law can be tricky to navigate, and many demolitions fall under ‘permitted development’ and do not need planning permission.

But developers generally seek what is known as ‘prior approval’ from the council when carrying out large-scale works such as these, which gives the council the chance to formally ratify the methods of demolition to ensure the safety of the public.

The council then notifies neighbours, the Health and Safety Executive and the fire brigade to seek their views.

There is no such notice publicly available for the TA centre demolition and no prior approval documentation has been placed on the planning portal.

On June 9, an NNC spokeswoman responded to this newspaper’s query. She said: “The building was damaged by a fire in April 2024, and it is understood that the structure has become dangerous. Works to demolish a building where this is urgently necessary in the interests of safety can be undertaken without the owner first seeking planning permission or prior approval of the Council as the Local Planning Authority. The Council’s Building Control Team were notified of the demolition works at the site and have notified neighbours that directly border the site, the Health and Safety Executive, fire service and others to ensure the works are appropriate and safe.”