Marlborough House Craigavon: Opinion divided about listing 1970s building
2025-01-04
Category: entertainment

Proposals to list a building in Craigavon built in the 1970s have divided opinion.Rewind to when it was built and Secretary of State Roy Mason announced jobs at Marlborough House, an unusual building that aimed to transform the new town."You're all aware of the difficulties there have been to get that manned," he told reporters. "I'm pleased to say today that I've already got earmarked several hundred public servants who will be moving in there during the course of the next year."
But half a century on from the arrival of the first public servants, many are now planning to move out of the building. 
'Very distinctive'
The Department for Communities is considering putting a Grade B1 listing on the building.This would identify it as a good example of a particular period or style and although some alterations could be made to the building it would provide protection in terms of any significant changes.Built as part of the grand, but unfulfilled ambition to create a new city linking Lurgan and Portadown, Marlborough House is a huge square office block.From the front, 108 windows that might remind you of Austin Powers look down on you.It's unlikely to be what most people have in mind when they think of a listed building, but it's unlikely you've seen anything quite like it anywhere else.John Anderson of the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society said the building is significant, has merit for listing and could have a multitude of future uses."Whether you like it or not is a matter of taste, but it is a very distinctive building," he said."Architecturally, it's very interesting," he added. "It's of national and possibly even international importance, and also it's the centre of Craigavon, which you could say maybe wasn't that successful a project for a new town, but it's the only one on Northern Ireland, and the core of it, Marlborough House remains. "It is a modernistic building in its architecture, but it's also a modern building which would lend itself very well to convert it to a modern use. "
'Quite restrictive'
Alderman Gareth Wilson of the DUP sits on the Planning Committee of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council. He says members were shocked when they heard of the proposal."Practically no one in the committee is really that enthused by the idea of listing Marlborough House," he said."Given its prime location, corporately, as a council, we feel it's too prime a location just to have it hamstrung with this listing procedure. "It is quite tight. It's quite restrictive, and we think it would really damage the economic benefit that this site would bring to everyone in Craigavon."Alderman Wilson said there were concerns that the projected multi-million pounds refurbishment it would need for future use could leave it as a vacant and crumbling shell.Rather than protect it, he said, many in the area would in fact support its demolition and redevelopment.
What does the public think?
Crossing the pedestrian bridge between Marlborough House and the Rushmere Centre are people from every walk of life.For cyclist Paul Haughey the building is striking but not necessarily to his taste."I don't really know what to think about it, but certainly I can't think of any other building in Northern Ireland that resonates with it. "It's a bit of a Lego building in some respects. But personally, I'm in the classical side. So I'd rather have ionic pillars than Marlborough House."
Out for her walk is Cynthia Jaunslaviete. She's a fan of Marlborough House."It's a nice building," she said. "I think it should stay there because it has been there for years."
David Graham and Stephen Brown are in Craigavon for work. "I suppose it maybe depends on the local people and what they think. But it is a unique building," David said.Stephen is more of a fan."It is different from everything else you see so they should definitely keep it," he said.It's fair to say the original vision of Craigavon was never achieved. The discussion point now is whether to preserve aspects that where and what to do with them in the future.A consultation period on whether to list Marlborough House is ongoing.