DURING the many years that I was Sherborne Town Council’s chair of planning, I repeatedly raised the matter of decaying Grade II Newell House, along with its lapsed planning permission for 23 units of housing.

The district council – as it then was – in Dorchester showed no interest in it, its fine barn, or the quality and neglect of either.

This was not unusual – Grade I Sherborne House festered for years, until finally rescued by Michael Cannon.

There were then, and still are, many empty buildings in the town.

Little interest was shown at Dorchester level in housing local people on modest incomes, maintaining standards of design, or the unique setting of the town, which has been progressively eroded.

Under Dorset Council, the lack of interest in Sherborne – Dorset’s most important historic town – has continued, in some ways getting worse.

This is demonstrated by the planning department’s attitude to Newell House.

WANT TO WRITE? Click here to send your letter
READ MORE: LETTER: Why no action over Newell House in Sherborne?
READ MORE: Campaigners call for action over Newell House

On May 11, along with several other concerned Sherborne citizens, I attended the full meeting of Dorset Council to hear questions being put to Cllr David Walsh, holder of the planning portfolio.

These related to the continuing refusal of his department to take meaningful action to arrest the decline of Newell House.

It emerged from his seriously inadequate answers that it is maintaining what he calls a ‘watching brief’, which is, of course, another name for doing nothing.

It also emerged that in the past year Dorset Council has made no use of its statutory powers to safeguard listed buildings in the county.

Given that Dorset is so rich in historic buildings, and that it is the council which has the primary safeguarding responsibility in this area, this is a shocking state of affairs, and makes one wonder just why the council has a conservation team at all.

KATHARINE PIKE
Sherborne