Transport House legacy lives on – A SALFORD landmark is to bite the dust – but a true labour of love will replace it. Transport House, the former regional headquarters of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, on the corner of Chapel Street and Oldfield Road, is to be flattened.

But its legacy will live on as developers New Quarter will build a glass-fronted curved block of 28 flats, with a glass mural on the ground floor referring to the ideals and principles of the union and local philanthropist Robert Peel. There will also be a large illuminated TGWU sign extending the full height of the building.

The company had tried to develop a scheme which retained the existing facade as the building is in the Crescent Conservation Area, but this proved too costly. Transport House is on a local list of buildings of architectural interest, but English Heritage did not think it was worthy of listing. Approval

The city’s planning committee approved the scheme unanimously. Chairman Coun Joe Holt, said: ‘‘It is a beautiful thing and will be an important part of the new entrance to the city.’’ The site is opposite the former Salford Royal Hospital which has now been transformed at a cost of £10m into luxury apartments. There was one formally submitted objection to the plan from Coun John Warmisham, the city’s housing spokesman who argued the building had architectural and historic merit.

The original building was opened in 1937 by Ernest Bevan – who created the TGWU. The union relocated to Salford Quays in 1996 and the property has remained vacant ever since. Ian Beaumont, of the Manchester-based architects MBLC, said: ‘‘We are delighted. We have been trying very hard for the last 12 months to deal with a sensitive issue. ‘‘We have now found a way of developing the site whilst retaining the cherished history of the TGWU building.’’