A MAJOR housing development neighbouring a Carlisle mental health facility will see the demolition of a historic building and the redevelopment of two others, after failed attempts to have them protected.

Plans for 157 homes on land at Cumwhinton Drive, Carleton Clinic will see the demolition of Westmorland House and the redevelopment of two other late 19th century buildings, Cumberland House and The Coppice.

Sean Reed, a resident of Parkland Village has attempted to rescue the Victorian architecture, making a bid to have them registered as having historical importance, either to Cumbria or the UK.

But Historic England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport both decided that the buildings do not carry enough historical importance to be a protected asset.

Mr Reed has said it is "a real shame" and asked why the UK Government does not want to protect its own historic buildings.

He believes that given that the buildings previously served the NHS mental health facility, they are its responsibility.

As well as historic architecture, Mr Reed said that the buildings have a story to tell about changing attitudes to mental health: "There's a lot of history behind them, they were built for 'private customers' - landed gentry would send their relatives away (to the mental health facility)."

'Cumberland' and 'Westmorland' are traditional names from the county's past which the Government has recently taken as the names of two new councils set to take over Cumbria in 2023.

"If these buildings are taken away, that social history is lost but then the report that came back from the listing people was that there's plenty around the country."

"These are buildings are set in private grounds, they were manicured grounds but again, once they're built on they're gone."

Cumberland House and The Coppice are set to be redeveloped into flats, by Genesis Homes as part of wider plans for the site. Mr Reed said he would be "delighted" to see Westmorland House redeveloped if it meant saving it from demolition.

"The problem will be that once they're knocked down, then people kick-up a fuss."

MP for Carlisle John Stevenson said that it is a balancing act between protecting historic assets and meeting housing need.

"I would bow to the experience of Historic England and others with a better and others with a better understanding of what is a historic building of cultural value."

Mr Stevenson said: "Historic England have an appreciation of buildings like that up and down the country, they'll have an understanding of whether or not it's worth putting an order on them."

He added that "whose going to invest in it?" is also an important question as some buildings are listed but are still the subject of development.

Setting out their reasons not to list the buildings, Historic England said in a report: "The three houses were built relatively late, dating from the very late C19 and early C20, when, because of the far greater numbers built and which survive, greater selectivity is required and only the best examples of buildings are listed in the national context;

"Though all were built with care using good-quality materials, their designs are unremarkable and their fixtures and fittings standard for their date.

Historic England said: "It is important to consider the wider context of hospital buildings where the buildings form part of a wider functional group.

But they said that here the buildings remain "as a remnant of the previous mental health facility.