Hundreds back petition to protect historic hall near Oswestry
More than 600 people signed a petition in just one day to prevent any part of an historic Shropshire hall from being demolished.
Despite only being set up on Thursday, a petition to stop any sector of Brogyntyn Hall, near Oswestry, from being demolished attracted more than 600 signatures in 24 hours.
In 2014, plans, submitted by applicants J Ross Developments, were approved for 50 homes to be built within the 93-acre grounds of Brogyntyn, once the ancestral home of the Harlech family and visited by John F Kennedy and wife Jackie before his assassination.
While buildings at Home Farm on the parkland will be turned into 11 homes and the Grade II listed Brogyntyn Hall will be restored to a family home.
As part of the plans one wing of the building would also be demolished.
The new petition has been set up up by Oswestry resident Thomas James, who said it would be a shame for the plans to go ahead and for part of the building to be demolished.
He said: "Let alone the fact that this magnificent building is old and holds history, it has also been the hosts to some historical figures and icons such as President Kennedy, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones and much more.
"Myself personally, I am deeply saddened that this has been allowed to happen.
"Why can't it be restored? Opened to be a public house or transformed to a spa retreat.
"Brogyntyn Hall itself is a popular attraction and I as well as others walk up there often.
"It would be such a shame to see a large piece of it missing."
The petition, addressed to Shropshire Council, calls for no part of the hall to be demolished. Nobody from J Ross Developments was available for comment.
The petition can be found at goo.gl/K5BrN0
