Greenham Common control tower gains listed status
THE future of the old Cold War control tower on Greenham Common – under threat of possible demolition – may have been secured after it received a Grade II listing.
Last year, there were fears that the the tower – which along with United States airbase at Greenham played a key roll in the nuclear standoff between Soviet and NATO powers – may be demolished.
West Berkshire councillor Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem, Greenham told Newburytoday.co.uk of his satisfaction at the news: “Hopefully this listing will help to preserve the Control tower for posterity and protect it from some of the more outlandish schemes that have been proposed in recent times.”
West Berkshire Council considered a report last year showing the future of the tower was in the balance. Three options were considered: keep it for the council’s own use; sell it on the open market or demolish it.
Mr Swift-Hook said: “[This is] arguably the most iconic building in Greenham and a permanent and highly visible reminder of Greenham’s part in Cold War history. I am delighted it has now been designated as a Grade II listed building."
The listing document highlights the key historic significance of the building. It reads: “[It is] a key building of an internationally significant Cold War airbase which controlled the base’s aircraft activity.”
The tower was built in 1951/52 and comprises of 10 rooms spread over 3 floors and is approximately 30 meters tall.
It is located next to the main common car park off Bury’s Bank road and affords spectacular views over Greenham and Crookham commons.
The Control tower was originally used to direct air traffic at the US airbase, which housed part of the country’s nuclear strike force on the common.
The tower forms part of the land that was sold to the council by Greenham Common Trust, after the trust had bought the land from the Ministry of Defence in 1997.
The MOD sold the 842-acre air base to the trust for £7m, 700-acres, including the Control tower, was then sold to the Council for the nominal amount of £1.
Most of that land was then repatriated to common land, but the Control tower was not, and it is still privately owned by West Berkshire Council.