A HISTORIC water pumping station could be saved from development if councillors vote to include it in a list of protected buildings.

Hills Construction wanted to demolish the pump house in Rowhedge and use the site to build 20 new homes.

However, the plans triggered objections from villagers and nearly more than 100 objections were submitted calling for the pump house to be retained.

Colchester Council’s Local Plan Committee will discuss the future of the pumping station at a meeting tonight.

It is proposed the pumping station be added to a Local List which would safeguard it as a heritage asset.

The list is for assets which, although not suitable for designation nationally as a listed building or an ancient scheduled monument, are considered historically or architecturally important at a local level.

The Local Plan report said: “The disused pumping station is a distinctive and architecturally attractive local landmark that dates from the turn of the 20th century.

“It has survived almost completely intact and which is realistically capable of reuse.

“It is one of a small number of distinctive buildings relating to early water supply, built in the same style.

“Clearly, it has historic value. It is important to the history of Rowhedge and to the history of water supply and public health reforms in the late 19th and early 20th century.”

The Rowhedge Heritage Trust has been fighting to save the pump house from development and was in discussions with Hills to buy the building.

It has been tasked with raising £120,000 and has raised £40,000 so far.

Trust secretary Keith Phillips said: “It was quite a short timescale and we didn’t have sufficient money at that time.

We are continuing discussions and they are considering leasing the building to us and we

are looking at the feasibility of that.

“Our preference would be to buy the building as Heritage Lottery Fund would not be keen to put money into a short lease.”