BaR News Round up February 2024

This month we have stories from our register update in the South West of England. There are some notable buildings still with no solutions not least grade II listed Hillcrest School in Castle Cary where prolonged neglect has created an infamous local eyesore. There is also some positive news: a number of big projects are nearing completion such as Brewers Quay in Weymouth and Raglan Barracks Gatehouse in Plymouth and a few smaller projects among which, Paignton Picture House and 9 Fore Street in Chard, are progressing. 

Hillcrest School and Former Stable Building, Ansford Hill, Ansford, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7JQ

A former 18th-century rectory and the attached stables (19th-century) turned school, both these buildings are listed as Grade II (LEN: 1056271 (former school) and 1177113 (former stables)).  Once a picture perfect cluster of buildings in honeyed stone standing in a semi-rural setting, now an eyesore and a problem site for local residents, councillors and Somerset Council.  On our register since 1999 and gradually deteriorating, their condition has recently worsened considerably.  The most recent photos sent to us by local campaigners working to get these buildings back into use, clearly show large gaps in the roof tiles which will be causing untold damage internally. 

In the past permission has been granted for various uses including a hotel, nursing home and flats, and there is consent for residential development on the adjoining land which is in the same ownership.  Action is needed now to stop the building falling further into dereliction, blighting the local community and resulting in a site that is harder and harder to restore.  We will be adding our voice to those of the local campaigners and asking why the Council is not stepping in to prompt action.

Brewer's Quay, Hope Square, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 8TR

Brewer’s Quay is a magnificent Grade II (LEN:1142300) complex of buildings located in Hope Square in Weymouth. The site was used for brewing from as early as 1252 until brewing ceased at the site in 1985. The principal building range is dated 1903 and 1904, and was built by Arthur Kinder for Grove’s Brewery in the North German Renaissance style. The building also incorporates two warehouses of late 19th-century date.

In the 1990s the brewery was successfully converted into shops, a restaurant and (Weymouth) museum in an award winning scheme but the brewery buildings changed hands many times and fell out of use. In the meantime, the empty buildings began to deteriorate causing floors to fall in and brickwork and masonry to crumble. 

A community group made a bid for the building, showing its importance to the town, but this did not succeed.  A new developer took over in 2022 and has now almost completed the scheme which involves 47 residential units, 3 retails units and accommodation for the museum with additional exhibition and cultural space (see planning applications: (WP/18/00298/FUL) and P/VOC/2023/00341)).  It is due to complete in Spring 2024 and some units are now on the market.

Raglan Barracks Gatehouse, Military Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 4JD

“One of the most impressive barracks entrances and guard houses in England” according to Historic England, this Grade II listed gatehouse provided a suitably triumphant gateway to what was the vast parade square of Raglan Barracks. The barracks are no more and the gatehouse is one of the few reminders of this once entirely military quarter.

Built between 1853-1858, at the time of the Crimean War, it was named after one of the commanders of that conflict, Lord Raglan (along with a fair share of pubs).  The grand gateway into the barracks was the first commission for Royal Engineer Captain Fowke, who later designed the Royal Albert Hall.  

In a very poor condition when we added it to our register in 2017, it was acquired by new owners who obtained conditional permission for conversion to four duplex apartments and four new builds (original application reference: 20/00398/FUL).  Acquired again by new owners in 2022, the scheme was due for completion at the end of 2023.

Paignton Picture House (Torbay Cinema), Torbay Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 6AH

This absolutely gorgeous and little altered Grade II* listed Edwardian Cinema was built in a free Baroque style with art nouveau decorative elements in 1912 and was modernized in 1933.   It survived the closures affecting many other cinemas during the 20th century but finally closed its doors in 1999. We added it to our register in 2008. As a Grade II* listed building it was also on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register.

The building was highly treasured locally, holding many collective memories and local history. Agatha Christie was a regular visitor when she lived nearby. In 2015 the building was acquired by the Paignton Picture House Trust who have since developed plans for the cinema and secured funding and support from the Architectural Heritage Fund and Historic England for initial viability and survey work. Listed building consent was approved in 2021 for the start of the renovation work.  In 2022 exterior renovation work was completed to a very high standard. Now this beautiful building looks set to become a wonderful hub for cultural activities in Paignton.  It received just over £3m from the Government's Cultural Development Fund and £1.25m from the Future High Streets fund.  Planning permission and listed building consent was obtained last year for conversion of the interior including an extension housing lifts and stairs.  It is due to reopen in early 2025.

9 Fore Street, Chard, Somerset, TA20 1PH

The unassuming front of this building hides hundreds of years of history and forms part of a larger group, all of which are exceptional and Grade I listed  (LEN: 1197449). No.9 and its neighbours originally formed one Elizabethan range. This was later divided into four properties, each with charming gables and oriel windows. No.9 has wonderful plaster ceilings. A barrel-vaulted two-storey courtroom from about 1600 runs behind the entire group. The building is situated in the centre of Chard on the main shopping street.

For years it has defied attempts to repurpose it and restore it with a succession of private owners despite help and structured proposals put together by the council working with Historic England, on whose Heritage at Risk register it sat, and the assistance of the Somerset Building Preservation Trust.  In 2021 Chard was awarded £1m from the High Streets Action Zone Fund and expected to be able to raise a further £1m in match funding. 9 Fore Street was earmarked as a beneficiary of some of those funds.  In early May 2023 Somerset Council announced its acquisition of the property with the help of a Historic England grant. 9 Fore Street is to be let to Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust. The Trust will carry out surveys before the future of the property is determined.  Work is progressing. Click here to go to their website.

Jacob's Wells Baths, Jacob's Wells Road, Bristol BS8 1DX

The palatial Jacobs Wells Baths in Bristol are one step closer to becoming a community venue for youth, arts, community and learning. The experienced Trinity Centre who are leading the campaign to save the building have been awarded a grant of £1,050,000 from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities' ‘Community Ownership Fund’. This grade II listed building was designed by Josiah Thomas, the City Surveyor, in 1881 to provide washing facilities for men and women and a swimming bath for men only. Now, Trinity Centre has an exciting and vibrant vision for the building as a community space which they plan to open in 2025. This positive development will help bring this vision to life.

The Buttermarket, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 2AU

This fascinating, grade II listed building was once the largest market in Cornwall, serving as a meat, fish and shoe market for the local population. The site was constructed between 1825-6 with later Victorian additions. A local group, who recognised the Buttermarket’s exciting potential to revitalise Redruth’s town centre, formed Redruth Revival CIC and purchased the building in 2017. They plan to carry out this transformation by utilising the Buttermarket as a retail and community hub with lettable workspaces for local businesses and space for hosting festivals and events. We are pleased to report that Redruth Revival CIC has recently been awarded a development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Architectural Heritage Fund through the Heritage Development Trust programme. This grant will support the community interest company’s brilliant work conserving and redeveloping this site.