LONDON, ONT. -- Heritage advocates are pushing back against a consultant’s report that recommends demolition of the former Kent Brewery building.
“It has been described as one of the most important artifacts left in London, from Victorian London, but also even we believe, probably in the whole province,” says Maggie Whalley, vice-chair of the London Advisory Committee on Heritage (LACH).
She suggests it is a rare example of early industrialization in a city with a rich brewing history.
LACH recently took the unusual step of notifying council it is ‘not satisfied’ with the heritage impact assessment report on the brewery prepared by a consultant for York Developments.
The report recommends city hall approve demolition of the brewery building at 197 Ann St., just behind Richmond Row. Removal of the building is required to permit construction of a 28-storey high rise residential building proposed by York Developments at the corner of Ann and St. George Streets.
LACH disagrees with many details in the report, including the current building’s origins. “It says in the report that the building was originally made of stone, there was a catastrophic fire, and it was rebuilt. We have found absolutely no evidence of that.”
Whalley says the committee has obtained research that shows the brewery was established in 1859.
City hall’s Heritage Planning Department has some similar concerns, commenting in a report that the heritage impact assessment “contains errors and omissions,” overlooks that a commercial building with Italianate architecture “is unique in the city,” and there’s no formal condition assessment to substantiate claims the brewery is structurally compromised.
“Conclusions reached did not find the property at 197 Ann St. to have Cultural Heritage Value or Interest (CHVI). Consequently, the Heritage Impact Assessment also did not explore the potential of retention and integration of buildings on the property into the development proposal,” staff wrote in a report.
“If that goes down, it will take a big chunk of our history with it,” says Anna Maria Valastro.The North Talbot Neighbourhood Association believes the Kent Brewery is an important building to maintain if the area eventually becomes a Heritage Conservation District.
“That site is part of a larger historic industrial site that includes The Ceeps, The Selby Building, the CPR storehouse across the street.”
Whalley says the adjacent home was the residence of the brewery’s owner, and their combined heritage value should be reflected in a revised plan to develop the site. “We would like to see those two buildings in particular retained in some way and maybe incorporated into maybe a new development.”
Council’s Planning and Environment Committee will consider directing staff to continue processing the high rise application, then schedule a future public meeting.
