"it's not particularly attractive...why has there been such a fight over its destruction?"

Because it fits national heritage criteria more than adequately.

It isn't very attractive because it has been left to rot.

A little imagination and some developer could have easily turned it into something amazing without tearing it down - just as happened with the statue of liberty building.

It loks like DMU and the council have a muually beneficial relationship that doesn't have much to do with either democracy or public interest.

The council ignored both the will of the public (this was the biggest campaign on any similar issue in the midlands in around 30 years) and ignored the criteria by which property is assessed for protection.