The day after Newsletter 133 was printed, we received the long-awaited reply from the City Council's Chief Executive:

"I must sincerely apologise for the delay in responding to your original letter, this was due to an administrative error.  ...  A Section 106 Agreement has been executed between the City Council and the landowner, which deals with the demolition of the Sandown Hall and reclamation of a number of features.  ... The City Council is satisfied that the specified features were dismantled safely so as not to cause any damage and, are stored in a designated area on the adjoining playing field.

"I can assure you that the City Council is committed to pursuing a more co-ordinated approach with regards to conservation and listed building issues throughout the whole of the city. ... the City Council is committed to taking positive action to secure the preservation and enhancement of the City's historic buildings and environments, and will seek to prevent a reoccurrence of the problems experienced at Sandown Hall."

Bett Homes Ltd (a Scottish housebuilding company) has recently applied for planning permission to build 33 houses on the cleared site. We have suggested that the salvaged remnants of the Hall - the tripartite windows, portico, the pediment and cornice - could be incorporated in the boundary wall alongside the Sandown Park Open Space.