Conservationists have called for the Environment Minister’s resignation following the de-listing of a Grade One historic building during Heritage Month.

Historians and campaigners have reacted with anger to the decision of Neletha Butterfield to remove the ‘Queen of the East’ from protected status.

The 18th century merchant’s house, which features a waterfront warehouse, is located in Crow Lane, Pembroke — an area of prime real estate along East Broadway.

Conservationists fear the ‘Queen of the East’ will now face the bulldozer to make way for commercial development.

Andrew Trimingham, a former chairman of the Historic Buildings Advisory Committee, said: “I am willing to bet that someone is going to build an office block there now.

“This is an outrageous assault on our history and environment and the people who own it should be made to keep up its condition.

The ‘Queen of the East’ not only has a colourful history, it’s an extremely important historical survivor. It precedes Hamilton itself — it is much older.

“I think Neletha Butterfield should resign,” he said. “They should restore its listing — this is inexcusable. For her to call herself Minister of the Environment and then do that is outrageous. She doesn’t care about Heritage Month.”

Mr. Trimingham, 72, of Paget, said ships would dock alongside the ‘Queen of the East’ and offload goods into the ground floor warehouse. “There really isn’t another building like it anywhere in Bermuda,” he said.

A Government spokesman said Ms Butterfield acted on a request by the owner’s agent, who claims the property is in a state of decay and can no longer be rented due a lack of on-site parking. The Minister consulted the Historic Buildings Advisory Committee, which was split between those wanting to retain the listing and those who had no objection to its removal.

“The rationale for the proposal was that the building is no longer viable as a residential building within a commercial area on the outskirts of the City of Hamilton,” said the spokesman.

“The owner’s agent argued that the property had become an eyesore at the entrance to our Capital city.”

However, in a file in the Planning Department’s office the ‘Queen of the East’ is described as “a very important landmark on the main road into Hamilton and on Hamilton Harbour”.

The house remains in the listed file of buildings of special architectural or historic interest despite its de-listing. The Government paperwork describes it as an “outstanding example of an 18th century merchant’s house”.

It states: “The ‘Queen of the East’ is a very important landmark on the main road into Hamilton and on Hamilton Harbour. It survives with only minor alterations — a small North wing added by Bayfield Clark in the 20th century adds to the attractiveness of its roof line.”

The house was built in the 1740s and has served as a bakery (1857), a laundry and a brothel (early 20th century), and then a Soldiers and Sailors Club.

It became the home of Mr. Bayfield Clark, an architect, and his interior designer wife from 1938-1960. The couple renovated the building to such “great skill and taste” that it became “one of the showplaces of Bermuda”.

Ms Butterfield did not return The Royal Gazette’s calls yesterday. But Heritage Officer Bill DeGrace said he was “not aware” of any applications to develop the property or any other historical buildings about to be de-listed.

“There hasn’t to my knowledge been anything coming forward,” said Mr. DeGrace.

There are 785 listed buildings in Bermuda, of which 122 are Grade One status.

In a letter to the Environment Minister yesterday, Margaret Lloyd, a former member of the Historic Buildings Advisory Committee, said she was “distressed” at the decision.

“I was shocked and distressed to learn that you have de-listed ‘Queen of the East’,” she writes.

“In my opinion this is a truly terrible decision which makes a nonsense of the whole listing process and just invites other owners to let their special buildings deteriorate to the point where they are unsightly and falling down.”

Dorcas Roberts, National Trust environmental conservation officer, said urgent efforts were being made to save the building.

“The Bermuda National Trust is actively seeking partners, by way of a corporate entity, in a bid to save the ‘Queen of the East’ as a vital component of East Broadway’s landscape while at the same time preserving it as an active component of a local businesss,” said Mrs. Roberts.