WHEN walking from Nottingham Station to the heart of the Lace Market it is hard not to miss the imposing stature of the Popham Street railway arches, at the side of Middle Hill.
The first trains passed over the top of them in 1900 and they used to link the old Victoria Station to Grantham via the Great Northern line.
The arches, owned by Nottingham City Council, stand proud amid a derelict site waiting for an attractive development.
But their future is uncertain.
Council officers have decided that the buildings that surround the historic arches will be demolished in a bid to combat arson at the site, but the authority could not say if the arches would remain or be knocked down.
Hilary Silvester, chairman of Nottingham Civic Society, thinks the arches offer a robust taste of the city's proud industrial past.
She said: "The arches are a testament to the city's industrial heritage and give a sense of character to that area – suggesting what it used to be.
"With the recent upgrading of the station, the restoration and the emphasis on transport, I think we need to keep something that reflects the transport of years gone by."
Mrs Silvester feels the council has been quick to knock down other buildings of interest in the past, including Henry Mellish School, in Bulwell, and Radford Mills.
"Rather than just wilfully knock them down, we should celebrate part of our industrial heritage."
She said she would like to see the structure incorporated into any development of the disused site, which should consider its position as "one of Nottingham's most important views".
"We would object to any development which would impact on the views of the historic origins of the city and I think the railway arches fall under that bracket," said Mrs Silvester. "But it would be criminal to build anything more than eight storeys as it would be detrimental to one of Nottingham's most important views.
"With it being so near the railway hub, it could be used as something of a gateway into Nottingham."
Ian Wells, of the civic society, added: "It's about the only piece of industrial heritage that's left now. It's important with regards to the setting of the Lace Market. Without the arches, it would just be an expanse of land.
"Developers might find it harder to build with them there but they should become a challenge that they have to address instead of just a nice empty space."
David Ablitt, secretary of the Nottingham Industrial Heritage Association, agreed that as much as possible should be done to preserve the arches.
"While the remaining arches are merely a reminder of an impressive structure which stretched from Weekday Cross to Meadow Lane, it would be a shame to see them demolished without proper thought of how they might be used," he said.
"They are over a century old, have been totally neglected for 50 years and yet the brickwork remains in excellent condition."
Mr Ablitt believes the solid structures of the arches could be the perfect foundation for a modern development.
"The viaduct was built to a standard which would be unheard of these days and it should not be beyond the ability of an imaginative architect to find a new use for it."
But not all historians think the arches are worth preserving.
Philip Riden, of the University of Nottingham, said: "They are not particularly early; it was the last of three railway lines to arrive in Nottingham. Nor are they of particularly special architectural or historical interest, so I don't think it would be a huge loss if they were demolished."
The Popham Street arches are not listed and were transferred into council hands in the first half of the 1970s in stages.
Councillor Graham Chapman, city council portfolio holder for resources and neighbourhood regeneration, said: "No decision has been taken about the railway arches as we are still looking at the various options and long-term future of the site, which is one of the key city centre redevelopment locations.
"There are a number of options and we wouldn't want to exclude any of them by saying that the arches are to remain."
Do you think the arches should be preserved? Let us know at opinion@nottinghampost.com.
