A Shepton Mallet mother’s campaign to save the only remaining grain store in town from demolition is gaining support from the local community.
Mulberry fashion label founder and Kilver Court owner Roger Saul has written a letter of support to Mendip District Council in a bid to help campaigning resident Sarah Bolton save the historic building.
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Mr Saul said: “I know Mendip has conservation as a top priority on its list whilst making sure that conservation does not block development so I would urge this to be taken into account when the matter is considered.”
He added: “If I had one of these grain stores on Sharpham Park, I would be thrilled to bits to be able to restore it.”
The old grain store at 9 Field View, Shepton Mallet was built around 1880 and a piece of Shepton’s history could be destroyed forever if conservation area consent for demolition is granted, says Mrs Bolton.
The site the grain store is located on, next to Field House, was sold to developers who have obtained planning permission to build five new homes there.
However, conservation area consent for demolition has expired and Mrs Bolton is leading a campaign to save the building from demolition.
The campaign suffered a blow when Mrs Bolton’s application to get the building listed was turned down by English Heritage recently as it did not meet their requirements, although their report did say the grain store “has local historical interest and some architectural interest.” Mrs Bolton has not given up her fight to save the building and the petition to save the grain store in Penn’s Jewellers on Shepton Mallet High Street is growing.
Since the original demolition consent was granted it has come to light that the building was once a grain store, not a garden store, and is the last one still standing in town. As such it is of “architectural and historic interest” says Shepton historian Fred Davis, who supports Mrs Bolton’s campaign to save the building.
Mrs Bolton is worried that time may be running out. Roof tiles have already been removed and smashed, exposing the historic building to the elements.
A Mendip District Council spokeswoman said: “We have not yet received an application for conservation area consent for demolition. If we do it will go through the planning process, which takes around eight weeks and includes a consultation period.”
What do you think – should the grain store be preserved as part of Shepton’s history?
The editor is always keen to hear your views. Write to The Editor, Mid Somerset News Media, Southover, Wells BA5 1UH, or email editor @midsomnews.co.uk.