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Listing: Former Sunbeamland cycle factory.
Historic/industrial archaeology interest. Landmark building.
Locally Listed, approved November 2001.
Comment: for full details of this
building,
click here.
This is one of the most important remaining monuments to
the transport industry in the city. It is of the greatest
historical importance and an interesting example of the development of
factory architecture. It is also a prominent landmark on an
important entrance to the town and on the ring road. In December 2001 it
was submitted for national listing by two members of this society.
Listing was refused, apparently on the grounds that it was not a very
important motorcycle factory and did not have enough of either historic
or architectural interest to justify listing. This is
incomprehensible in itself and, at best, illustrates how something,
which is of the greatest local interest and importance, is not rated
nationally. It is understood that the whole site is now owned by
the developers, Mucklows, who are wondering what to do with it.
Although there was some use, renting out bits for storage, it now seems
to have no use at all. This seems to be another case where
crossing your fingers is all you can do.
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