News - Thorne conservation area a priority for council

Listed properties in Thorne will not be allowed to keep going to rack and ruin. That is the message from Doncaster Council to their owners.

Following a meeting between Cabinet Member for Communities, Councillor Cynthia Ransome, and Thorne Ward Member, Councillor Martin Williams, the council is stepping up enforcement measures.

Councillor Ransome said: "Martin Williams has recently brought this issue to my attention. I agree completely that these historic properties cannot be allowed to disintegrate and spoil the appearance of the town centre.
"Many of the properties in Thorne have been granted planning permissions for alternative uses, but poor market conditions have meant that developers are holding back.

"The message is that owners cannot keep sitting on these properties without paying out for their upkeep."
Action currently being taken by the council includes:

• Actively seeking funding for the conservation area and working with property owners to find alternative uses for vacant buildings.

• The enforcement team has recently identified seven properties which have fallen into a bad state of disrepair. Officers are writing to the owners asking them to make repairs, should they fail to we will use legal powers compelling them to do so.

• Thorne Hall up for auction in the near future.

Councillor Martin Williams, Ward Member for Thorne, said: "Bringing these buildings back into use is essential to the regeneration of the town.

"Having met with Councillor Ransome and senior officers I am hopeful that we will now see action being taken."

From: http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/db/enews/article.asp?Archive=&CatID=31&Art=4601

News- Doncaster Council facing court action (Thorne Conservation Area)

DONCASTER Council could face legal action over allegations it has failed to preserve one of the borough’s conservation areas.

Coun Martin Williams has started the ball rolling in an effort to take the council to the High Court because of the state of disrepair of some of the oldest buildings in the Thorne market area conservation zone.

He says the former market chip shop, and the former Hursts ironmongers, have both been allowed to fall into disrepair.

And a former police station there has now got no roof, he says.

Coun Williams says he has been calling for action to sort out the state of the conservation area in his ward for nearly 10 years.

He said: “I have briefed my lawyers to send what is called a pre-action protocol letter, to apply for judicial review in the High Court.

“The basis is what I see as a neglect of duty in preserving the buildings in the conservation area in the centre of Thorne. It has a duty to conserve those buildings.

“I think it is time the courts decided if the council has done its duty regarding the centre of Thorne.

“I don’t know of any other market town that has suffered the way Thorne has.

“How can we regenerate a market town if the council has no will to get anything done?

“The old chippie and ironmongers have 17th century fireplaces and staircases - at least they did have. I fear there is not going to be much left now.”

Peter Dale, director of regeneration and environment at Doncaster Council, defended its record over the Thorne conservation area.

He said many of the properties in Thorne had been granted planning permissions for alternative uses, but poor economic conditions had meant developers were holding back.

He said: “We are actively seeking funding for the conservation area and are working with property owners to find alternative uses for vacant buildings.

“Our enforcement team have also recently identified seven properties which have fallen into a bad state of disrepair.

“We will be writing to the owners asking them to make repairs, and should they fail to we will use section 215 notices compelling them to do so.

“Thorne Hall remains available for sale and will be up for auction again in the near future.

“Any developer will need to be sympathetic to its Grade II listing.”

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/barnsley/doncaster_council_facing_court_action_1_3763761

News - Concerns as hall sale bid falls down (Thorne)

DONCASTER Council could face legal action if Thorne Hall is allowed to go to ruin.

The Grade II listed landmark failed to sell at auction in London this week after no-one met the reserve price of £300,000.

Auctioneers Lambert Smith had said there was considerable interest the building.

But Thorne councillor Martin Williams is concerned the building is still facing an uncertain future and is planning a meeting with lawyers.

He said: “I think the next step should be to put it up for auction somewhere in Yorkshire, to see what happens if it goes on the market in this region.

“It is a Grade II listed building and it needs protection. I am meeting a planning barrister next month to discuss it.

“The council cannot take itself to court if the building is not maintained, but I may look into it. But my first option would be to try to sell it locally. I don’t think leaving it to become neglected is a good example to set.”

The building has been out of use for around five years, since it ceased to used as an area housing office.

Coun Williams believes it may cost anyone who takes over the building around £1 million to renovate it.

Director of Regeneration and Environment Peter Dale said: “Thorne Hall failed to sell at auction on Monday despite being advertised nationally.

“Since the auction we have arranged another viewing and it remains available for sale.

“We are committed to selling Thorne Hall, but any buyer will have to abide by the terms of its Grade II listing.

“The hall will be put up for auction again in the autumn.”

News - Council-owned mansion under hammer (Thorne Hall)

AUCTIONEERS behind the sale of a mansion which was last used as a council office and depot yesterday said they expected the property to fetch up to £400,000 when it goes under the hammer next month.

Grade II-listed Thorne Hall was built in 1818 for a local farmer and was a family residence but was eventually bought by the local council and used for meetings and administration.

The building, in Ellison Street, Thorne, near Doncaster, is now owned by Doncaster Council, which is selling the building to help it find money towards £71m in savings demanded by the Government.

Graham Johnston, of London-based Lambert Smith Hampton said the sale had been delayed after local MP Caroline Flint called for a re-examination of options for the site’s future.

But it has now been included in a catalogue for a sale on July 11 and a number of buyers have apparently shown an interest, with a viewing day planned at the landmark building for next Thursday.

Mr Johnston said: “A particular point of interest in the building is the ballroom, which has been used in the past for council meetings and there are other bits and pieces which are significant.

“Potentially we would expect buyers to perhaps be looking at using it as a hotel or perhaps a nursing home, and there have already been buyers contacting us to ask about it.”

Mr Johnston said other architectural features of note included a cantilevered stone staircase with iron balustrade and an entrance hall with a Doric columned screen.

Thorne Hall has been disused for several years, and a campaign, led by local councillors, has been mounted to bring the hall, which is opposite the town’s park, back into community use.

Coun Martin Williams, who represents the town on Doncaster Council said he was pleased to see the sale finally going ahead, and added he was “fed up” with other building in the town being left to rot.

He added: “I have got Tim Leader, a planning barrister who is the former chief executive of Doncaster Council, looking at the way the council has handled empty buildings in the town.

“If nothing is done about some of them, particularly those around the market place, I am going to take the authority to judicial review over the way they have let some of this town go to rack and ruin.”

Earlier this year, Lambert Smith Hampton auctioned two other buildings for Doncaster Council, including a house known as the Priory in Conisbrough and a listed school building in Arksey.

The Grade II-listed Consibrough property fetched £312,000 at the sale held in February, while the school building was bought for £155,000.

The Thorne Hall auction will take place on July 11 in London. For more details about the sale contact Lambert Smith Hampton on 020 7198 2278

From: http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/around-yorkshire/local-stories/council_owned_mansion_under_hammer_1_3506206

News - Historic mansion to go under the hammer (Thorne Hall)

THE auction date for an historic mansion in Yorkshire has finally been set.

Thorne Hall in Doncaster will go under the hammer next month.

After a false start earlier this year, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council has now given the go ahead for Lambert Smith Hampton to proceed to auction on July 11.

Thorne Hall is a Grade II listed mansion built around 1815 by a local farmer, enjoying open views over Thorne Park and containing various architectural features, including a cantilevered stone staircase

From: http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/yorkshire/news/180168-historic-mansion-to-go-under-the-hammer.html?news_section=7

News - Landmark sale plans are delayed for talks (Thorne Hall)

PLANS to sell one of Thorne’s landmark buildings have been delayed after MP Caroline Flint raised concerns – angering one of the town’s councillors.

Grade Two listed Thorne Hall has not been in use since it ceased to be operated as a council housing office.

The building was due to go up for auction last week, but it was pulled from the list after it emerged council bosses wanted more time to look at options following a request for a delay by Ms Flint.

Doncaster Council director of regeneration and environment Peter Dale said: “Following a request for more time for local discussion over future options we have withdrawn Thorne Hall from sale at present.

“This is to allow for further consultation with the South Yorkshire Buildings Preservation Trust.”

Thorne ward Coun Martin Williams is angry over the delay and wants the sale sorting out as soon as possible to avoid the building being allowed to fall into disrepair.

He is concerned it could go the same way as the former Fieldside School building in Thorne, which was demolished after years of neglect after it become disused.

He said: “I’ve been trying to sort something out with this building for the last five years.

“No one has been in to buy it in that time, and it has been empty for four or five years. The council is short of money and this would have brought some into the coffers.

“I want to see it brought back into use, and I feel this was one of the best chances of testing the market.

“It is a beautiful building overlooking the park. I don’t want it going the same way as some of the other buildings in Thorne.

“I am unhappy at Caroline Flint intervening.”

But Ms Flint said everyone was wanting the same outcome, which was to see the building brought back into use and preserved.

She said she had asked for a delay to allow herself and other groups, such as the South Yorkshire Buildings Preservation Trust, with an interest in the building to be informed and comment on the plans.

The trust was involved in restoring another historic building in Thorne, at 42 King Street, a project which won an award from the Georgian Society.

She was also concerned there had been no conservation conditions attached to the building for the sale planned for last week.

A meeting is planned to discuss the future of the building.

She said: “There are a number of buildings in Thorne of heritage value.

“There have been some very positive discussions with the council and the council chief executive Rob Vincent about how we can try to put together a plan for these buildings as part of the regeneration of Thorne.”

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/barnsley/landmark_sale_plans_are_delayed_for_talks_1_3099189