‘Conservation rules are wrecking Wales’ listed buildings’ says a man who …

A member of an aristocratic family who couldn’t afford to keep the listed mansion he inherited says Wales needs to change its “unrealistic” conservation rules.

In 2010 Henry van Moyland became the owner of Cefntilla Court, the historic house near Usk where he spent much of his childhood.

The mansion was first given to their heirs of Field Marshal Lord Raglan in recognition of his victories in the Crimea, after he died in 1855 a year after the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade.

Mr van Moyland, who inherited the estate from his uncle, the fifth Lord Raglan, describes selling it in June this year as the saddest decision of his life.

Cefntilla was put on the market for £1.65m last September. It is not known how much it sold for.

How we reported the sale:
Historic Welsh mansion linked to the Charge of the Light Brigade goes up for sale

The 5th Lord Raglan pictured outside his home Cefntilla Court in 1969
The 5th Lord Raglan pictured outside his home Cefntilla Court in 1969

Now living and working as a property manager in California, Mr van Moyland says ordinary construction costs in Wales are extraordinarily high at roughly £180 per square foot (psf) for a new house – about the same as in Los Angeles, where on average people earn twice as much.

Conservation build in Wales, however, is eye-poppingly expensive, at £300 psf.

Mr van Moyland said: “In other words, it’s cheaper to build a new house than rehabilitate a listed building. No wonder they stand empty.

“To put that in the context of Welsh house prices, a very classy detached house in a private location in Monmouthshire might fetch £300 psf, a sea view in Swansea £350, and Penarth even more, but if there is a single, typical price in most of South Wales, it is £200 psf.

“That leaves almost any dilapidated listed house worthless, particularly as they are often too large and have to be divided. And for developers, the participants who can raise capital most easily, there is nothing in it.

This explains the cycle, repeated again and again: somebody buys a listed building, they start to remodel, discover just how expensive and difficult it is, they patch, and they sell. At each step, the building deteriorates a little more, until at worst it is abandoned.”

Part of the historic contents of Cefntilla was also sold:
Controversial military memorabilia auction back on after legal challenge dropped

‘Cut the number of listed buildings’

According to the Welsh Government’s conservation body Cadw, 23% of Welsh listed buildings are classed as vulnerable or at risk.

Mr van Moyland makes three suggestions: “First, drastically reduce the number of listed buildings. So many of them are undistinguished. Wales should focus on the best.

“With Wales’ draconian regular planning process, there is really no need to list many buildings at all, and giving people flexibility on interiors will save many facades.

“Second, get the cost of conservation construction down by focusing on the actual fabric to be preserved and not being too precious about everything else.

Related:
27 listed buildings and treasures that evoke the charm and history of Wales’ past

“If the fabric is properly preserved, it will still be there when the house is restored at a later date and when, hopefully, Wales is in a better position economically.

“Finally, there [could be] a bidding process in which multiple developers were asked to restore a specific building, and the most attractive enabling development accepted.

“Such a process would stimulate home-building, restore historic buildings and bring investment to Wales. Until it makes radical changes to its historic building conservation policies, it is not 23% of its listed buildings that are vulnerable, but 100%.”

Related:
Farmhouse which could be the oldest inhabited residence in the Vale of Glamorgan goes on the market

Welsh Government: Listed buildings should be protected

A Welsh Government spokesman said: “Listing is not designed as a bar to development or alterations, instead it is a marker to planning authorities that the building has a special interest and that this should be protected for future generations.

“This does not stop people from carrying out alterations, as long as these do not damage the building’s special interest. Maintaining a historic building can enhance its value and it is possible to do this in a cost-effective way by repairing, rather than replacing, features.”

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