Sack-Weighing House, Wantage: Going, going

[Lucy Cassidy]

Hi Folks,

 

In case anyone is interested, there's a very old canal building that is about to be demolished in Wantage, Oxfordshire.

 

It's the last surviving part of Wantage Wharf on what was the Wilts and Berks canal: a tiny triangular brick and stone building where sacks used to be weighed.

 

A builder, Persimmon Homes I think, was granted permission to develop the old Wharf site on condition that they preserved the historical building. However, instead they covered it with wooden boarding (unroofed) and allowed it to decay to the point where it is now actually falling down.

 

They have therefore successfully asked for planning permission to knock it down on the grounds that it's beyond saving.

 

The local restoration group campaigned, but were unsuccessful in getting any action from the local council.

 

So if anyone fancies taking it apart and rebuilding it elsewhere, get in touch with the Vale of White Horse District Council right now, before it disappears forever.

 

I was there at the weekend and it looks as though they are going to start demolition imminently. There is even still a blue metal advertising plate on the outside of the building: it might be possible for someone to retrieve that before it is discarded.

 

Grid ref SU396880

The Wharf, off Mill Street, Wantage, Oxfordshire

Entranceway to Smith's Wharf development.

 

Hope this is of interest.

[magpie patrick]

Hi Folks,

 

In case anyone is interested, there's a very old canal building that is about to be demolished in Wantage, Oxfordshire.

 

It's the last surviving part of Wantage Wharf on what was the Wilts and Berks canal: a tiny triangular brick and stone building where sacks used to be weighed.

 

A builder, Persimmon Homes I think, was granted permission to develop the old Wharf site on condition that they preserved the historical building. However, instead they covered it with wooden boarding (unroofed) and allowed it to decay to the point where it is now actually falling down.

 

They have therefore successfully asked for planning permission to knock it down on the grounds that it's beyond saving.

 

The local restoration group campaigned, but were unsuccessful in getting any action from the local council.

 

So if anyone fancies taking it apart and rebuilding it elsewhere, get in touch with the Vale of White Horse District Council right now, before it disappears forever.

 

I was there at the weekend and it looks as though they are going to start demolition imminently. There is even still a blue metal advertising plate on the outside of the building: it might be possible for someone to retrieve that before it is discarded.

 

Grid ref SU396880

The Wharf, off Mill Street, Wantage, Oxfordshire

Entranceway to Smith's Wharf development.

 

Hope this is of interest.

 

Persimmon are Bar Stewards, I won't work for them. I "saved" my former employer by buying all the work Pokemon homes had asked for and then wouldn't pay for. It was enough to potentially send his small company under, but we some of it was useful to us, so we bought the lot.

 

Coal Canal has nowhere to put it, but I wish you luck.