One of the key figures in the ongoing battle to preserve Wolverhampton’s historic buildings has stepped down.

Neil Sargeant has retired as chairman of the City of Wolverhampton Regenerating Buildings Preservation Trust after six years at the helm of the voluntary organisation set up to help protect the city’s architectural heritage.

During his tenure the Trust has played key roles in saving Bilston Town Hall, the Molineux Hotel, and 12 George Street which Mr Sargeant counts as his greatest achievement in this post.

“We worked hard to lobby the city council and others to ensure that action was taken to safeguard Bilston Town Hall and Molineux Hotel, working with the owners as needed to help them secure grant money,” he said.

“But with 12 George Street, the Trust actually acquired the building, restored it and sold it on to new owners, thereby saving it as a working building for posterity.”

A banker by profession, since his retirement Mr Sargeant has held a number of positions in the voluntary sector, most notably as honorary treasurer for Wolverhampton Citizens Advice Bureau.

While there he played a key role in saving the Grade II-listed St Leonards Rectory as a base for the CAB in Bilston. This led to him being asked to take on the role of chairman at the City of Wolverhampton Regenerating Buildings Preservation Trust.

“The first task we took on was to put together a buildings at risk register, so that we knew the extent of the problem,” he said. “There were many buildings on the register, and we have made good progress on removing some, but there remains much to do.”

The future of the Trust has recently been secured with the bequest of around £150,000 from the estate of Brian Weller. He was a well-known architect and descendant of the founder of one of Wolverhampton’s leading architectural practices WHJ Weller, which was responsible for such notable building as Barons Court Hotel and the Village Hall in Burnhill Green.

Mr Weller has also bequeathed to the Trust the architectural practice’s papers. They are now lodged in the City Archives at Molineux House, as a resource for those interested in the area’s architectural past.

Taking over from Mr Sargeant as the new temporary chairman is local building historian Andy Foster, who works for the Pevsner Architectural Guides and is a member of the Lichfield Diocese Committee on the care of churches. Mr Foster will be aided in his new role by fellow trustee and Trust company secretary Gavin Southall, who is senior partner and head of corporate law at Wolverhampton law firm FBC Manby Bowdler.

The law firm provides administration support and business and legal advice to the Trust on a pro-bono basis.

Mr Foster said: “The entire Trust is grateful to Neil for his time and dedication during the past six years. He can literally look with pride on his achievements as once-derelict buildings now have a new lease of life.”

The Trust’s latest campaign is to save and restore the gates and pillars of Tong Castle, which were moved from Tong in the 1970s to the Villiers Works on Marston Road.

The Trust has applied for planning permission to remove the two stone pillars and store them safely with the ornate gates until a suitable site can be found in Tong for their restoration.

The gates and pillars are the last remnants of Tong Castle which was destroyed in the 1950s.