College to go ahead with plan to sell ancient stone carvings

COLLEGE bosses are pushing ahead with plans to sell off ancient stone carvings believed to be 2,500 years old to help fund building repairs and upgrades costing nearly £6 million.

Newbattle Abbey College Trust has applied to Midlothian Council for permission to remove the carvings of Assyrian kings from the A-listed Newbattle Abbey.

An entry on Midlothian Council's planning website specified that a plan to remove the reliefs had been withdrawn.

But college bosses today confirmed that the project was still set to go ahead if permission is granted by council chiefs.

Principal Ann Southwood said: "A previous application for permanent removal of the Assyrian reliefs was withdrawn simultaneous to the current application being lodged on 28 August. This action was taken on advice from the council who wished lodgement of a fresh application and the withdrawal of an earlier, undecided application.

"The application process is on-going. No decision has been made by the council and no objections have been received."