Owner told to fix listed building or council will
DISTRICT WOULD THEN RECLAIM MONEY FROM LANDOWNER
COUNCILLORS have authorised spending up to £300,000 to prevent the loss of a listed building – and to claim the money back from its owner.
The grade II*-listed 19th century Bradgate Stables, in Groby, is on Heritage England’s at-risk register and is said to be “in a considerable state of disrepair”.
After failed attempts to agree to the necessary work to save the building with its owner, Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has issued an urgent works notice.
If the owner does not carry out the required work within seven days of the council serving the notice, the authority will hire contractors itself.
A report prepared for the meeting said £300,000 is the maximum cost of the work, and that a Historic England grant should repay the council for up to 80 per cent of the money it spends.
The report said the council will claim back any amount spent from the owner and reimburse Historic England.
Councillor David Bill, who introduced the report at the meeting, said it was “a matter which could well have been settled long, long ago if the owners had implemented what they undertook to do”.
Ward councillor Martin Cartwright said: “This is the very last resort. We didn’t want to find ourselves in this position.
“The landowner is fully aware of the listed status, fully aware of it being on the Historic England at-risk register.”
He said the council had been involved in “meaningful dialogue” with the owner, which led to a previous urgent works notice being cancelled, but progress had been “too little, too slow”.
“It’s been through another winter, and the deterioration’s got worse with no meaningful works taken place.
“It cannot go on any longer because it will be lost forever.”
Councillor Richard Allen said: “What we’ve seen happen at Bradgate Stables is tantamount to wilful vandalism.”
Councillor Chris Ladkin said: “It’s an extraordinary situation, spending all this money on this and nobody can see it.
“Are we going to look to get it open to the public as well?”
Coun Bill replied that he would not recommend anybody getting close to the building in its current state, and that it was important to “see this historic building preserved – then we can think about its future in conjunction with the owners”.