500 signatures reached
To: Erewash Borough Council
Save Stanton’s Industrial Heritage - Protect 3 & 4 Lows Lane, Birthplace of British Aviation
Erewash Borough Council must immediately pause the planned demolition of 3 & 4 Lows Lane, Stanton-by-Dale - a locally listed historic building linked to aviation pioneer Hugh Oswald Short.
The council should review its decision, work with Historic England to assess the building for statutory listing, and explore options to incorporate it into the Stanton Regeneration plans rather than destroy it.
Why is this important?
3 & 4 Lows Lane isn’t just another old cottage - it’s part of Stanton’s proud industrial history and the birthplace of Hugh Oswald Short, co-founder of Short Brothers and a pioneer of British aviation.
From this small Derbyshire home, the Short brothers went on to design and build Britain’s first aircraft, working alongside the Wright brothers and laying the foundations of our nation’s aviation industry.
Their later designs - including the Short Stirling, a key training aircraft in the Second World War - helped free up Lancaster bombers for critical missions, directly contributing to the war effort.
Demolishing this birthplace would erase a vital connection between Stanton’s industrial past and Britain’s technological progress. Almost everything else from that era has already disappeared - this cottage is one of the last remaining links to where it all began.
Once these historic places are gone, they’re gone forever. By standing together, we can show that our heritage matters - and that regeneration in Erewash should protect, not destroy, the places that tell our shared story.
