I WAS dismayed to see the planning application posted at St Barnabas School proposing demolition of the building.

I've lived in the Leeman Road area since 2003. One of the things that attracted me to this otherwise unremarkable area of terraced houses was its landmark architecture: the church, church hall and school.

Together they define the community and give it a distinctive character: the school in particular I always felt to be central to the area and its residents.

While I recognise the need for a new school to be built with modern facilities, to which I am not opposed, I do object to this needless demolition of a landmark building in the neighbourhood, listed or not.

Obviously, it is far cheaper and easier for developers to demolish the building and build a new structure on this site. But this is a wasteful and unsustainable way to provide new housing reminiscent of the 1960s and certainly not an option that should be encouraged today.

It would be a far more imaginative and sustainable solution to keep the existing building and convert it into flats. This has worked very successfully with the Leeman Apartments conversion on Garfield Terrace, which retains a sense of history and integrity and is a very welcome sight after approaching the area via the Leeman Road with its cement works and unimaginative new flats.

Let's save the original St Barnabas building to keep a key landmark and a sense of the community's history alive.

Anyone opposing the demolition should write immediately to John Ashton, City of York's Council's Development Control Officer or send an objection online at www.york.gov.uk.

Pippa Oldfield,

Stamford Street East, York.

Updated: 11:28 Monday, September 05, 2005