Plans have been lodged to demolish the vacant former residence of University of York’s vice chancellors after refurbishments were deemed too costly.
Plans lodged with City of York Council would see University House, also known as Vice Chancellor’s House in Spring Lane, torn down and the site within the university’s Heslington campus turfed over.
A university spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the building was not suitable for alternative uses, with the site’s future yet to be decided.
It comes as the house has fallen out of use as a residence for the university’s vice chancellors since at least summer 2021, according to the 20th Century Society.
The organisation, which campaigns to preserve buildings constructed after 1914, stated in its entry on University House it has since been used as a kitchen overflow and as student accommodation.
The university’s planning application said the building was vacant and redundant.
The 20th Century Society named the house, which was built in 1964 a year after the university was founded, as its building of the month in January 2023.
It also featured in a 2022 Univesity of York study of the city’s modernist buildings.
The society’s entry on the building stated that it was built for the university’s first Vice Chancellor Lord Eric James of Rusholme and his wife Lady Cordelia James.
Architects Robert Matthew Johnson-Marshall and Partners designed the house in consultation with Lady James.
The result was a contemporary style reflecting meritocratic ideals and a house close to the university’s campus and students, creating a sense of familiarity between them and the vice chancellor.
Its architectural features include a ground floor central box-bay and bi-folding door window facing out onto the home’s lawn from its living room to help with hosting events.
The University of York’s spokesperson said: “The building has remained unused for a period of time and we are seeking permission to demolish it after an evaluation found refurbishment would be too costly and the property is not suitable for alternative uses.
“Plans are still being considered for any future use of the land and we remain committed to prioritising facilities that directly support our core mission of teaching, research and environmental sustainability.”