Listed status for pavilion that faced demolition calls

Locals demanded artist Victor Pasmore’s 1969 Apollo Pavilion in Peterlee, County Durham, be demolished when it fell into disrepair and it came close to being pulled down.

But since it was refurbished with Heritage Lottery Fund cash two years ago, it has been cherished and has been granted Grade II* status, putting it in the top five per cent of all listed buildings in England.

When it was built, the stark concrete design was seen as the centrepiece of a wider landscape, joining the two sides of a housing estate in the then-new town.

Heritage Minister John Penrose said: “This is a striking example of how abstract art and ‘brutalist’ architecture can come together to make a building that is quite unique, and all the more so now that it has been rescued from dereliction in a highly successful project supported by Lottery funding and driven by the commitment of local people.”

Nick Bridgland, designation team leader at English Heritage, said: “English Heritage is delighted that the Minister has agreed with our recommendation and has listed the Apollo Pavilion at Peterlee at Grade II*.

“Named in homage of space exploration, the pavilion showed the bold optimism of those building the new town of Peterlee.”