Marmite Marvel: The Quirky Marlborough House Gets Officially Listed!

Marlborough House, a large and unusual office building in Craigavon, has officially been listed as a building of local importance. This means it is now protected and cannot be changed too much, keeping its unique look for years to come. The building has been around since the 1970s and has served as a workplace for many government employees. Over the years, people have given it nicknames like 'marmite', 'Lego', and 'frogspawn' because of its distinctive appearance. The seven-storey block is covered with 108 white panels and has small, off-centre windows on each side, making it stand out in the area.

Maureen Miller, whose husband used to work in Marlborough House, believes the building is worth keeping. She says it is unusual and she has never seen anything quite like it before. For her, listing the building is reasonable because it represents a unique style and period. However, not everyone agrees. Ronnie Hanna, another local resident, is surprised by the decision to list the building. He thinks it was only suitable for government offices and cannot imagine what else it could be used for. He had heard rumors that the building might be demolished, but now it will remain.

Hayley Smith from Portadown has some ideas for the future of Marlborough House. She admits the building is not very attractive, but suggests it could be used by other businesses, or even turned into a hotel or leisure complex. The Department of Finance will first offer the building to other public bodies, and if there is no interest, it will be put on the open market. Gareth Wilson, a member of the local council's planning committee, is concerned that listing the building will make it less appealing to both public and private investors. He points out that it would cost £18 million just to update the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Wilson believes that the restrictions from the listing could make it difficult for anyone to come up with new ideas for the site.

John Anderson from the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society argues that Marlborough House is exactly the kind of building that should be protected. He says its weird and modernist design makes it architecturally significant. Anderson believes the government should be more proactive in finding a future for such unique structures, and that buildings like Marlborough House should not be left empty without a clear plan. Now that the building is listed, it cannot be demolished, but its future use is still uncertain. The Department of Finance is aware that the listing may make it harder to sell or repurpose the building, but they will continue to work with public sector colleagues to find an alternative use. Marlborough House remains a unique and controversial part of Craigavon, with many people holding strong opinions about its value and future.