Merton Council have approved the demolition of Merton Hall, despite the fact that it is locally listed, and an application has been made for statutory listing. Only the facade is to be retained, even though the deputy leader of the council previously claimed that suggestions it was planning to “flatten” the hall were “an outrageous lie”. There is, of course, no way to know in advance if Historic England would agree to add the building to the statutory list. But what logic is there in allowing it to be destroyed before its status is decided? Yet another senseless example of the inadequacy of the current legislation, and the urgent need for interim protection. https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-wimbledon-s-merton-hall-london-sw19