A MALVERN Link garage where the famous Morgan car company was founded is facing demolition.

Developer McCarthy and Stone of Coventry has applied for planning permission to knock down the Brooklyn Ford garage on the corner of Worcester Road and Howsell Road.

It wants to replace it with 52 sheltered flats for the elderly.

Part of the existing garage was erected in 1905 as the original Morgan Garage and Motor Works. Following the success of the Morgan three-wheeler in 1910, the building was adapted for car production.

Morgan moved to its current plant in Pickersleigh Road in 1919 and the Worcester Road site was subsequently occupied by Bowman and Acock.

Keith Hill, chairman of Brooklyn Ford, emphasised the company was not leaving Malvern and was looking for an alternative site.

He said: "We've had problems for some time in trying to expand on our existing site. We're staying in the Malvern area and we're looking at a number of options. We have several irons in the fire but there's nothing signed and sealed. Brooklyn Ford will be in Malvern for many, many years to come."

Brooklyn Ford, which has been on the site since 1981, employs about 45 people in Malvern.

John Goodman, chairman of the Morgan Sports Car Club, said: "It would be extremely sad to see anything connected with the Morgan heritage disappear and it's a great shame that steps have not been taken to get some sort of preservation order placed on this building."

In 2000, Brooklyn Ford won planning permission to demolish the building to make way for a car wash, despite vocal opposition from Morgan fans.

Martyn Webb of Graham Road, who led that protest, said: "The arguments against demolishing the building remain the same.

"Apart from the historical angle, the site is on one of the busiest junctions in Malvern."

Brian Clutterbuck, of Bosbury, chairman of the Morgan Three Wheelers Club, said: "The best we can hope for is that some kind of plaque commemorating the factory is put up."

Access to the four-storey block will be at the back of the site off Redland Road. The current forecourt access, off Worcester Road, will be closed. McCarthy and Stone is described in the application as the site's "prospective purchaser".