Wiltshire 'hidden gem' to undergo £450,000 renovation

The Grade II listed Devizes Town Hall has been suffering from an “ongoing roof leak” for some time.

Town clerk Simon Fisher recently announced a £450,000 scheme to prevent further damage to the building.

This will take a total of 20 weeks to complete during which time scaffolding will be erected at the site.

In a statement, Mr Fisher explained major works were necessary to resolve the issue, despite the town council’s best efforts.

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Damage cause by the leaking roof on Devizes Town Hall (Image: Devizes Town Council)

He said: “Whilst the town council is fortunate to own and manage many fine buildings in Devizes, we recognise that we are only the custodians for future generations and therefore it’s important that we do everything we can to protect the long-term viability of these buildings.

“Maintenance is an essential part of that responsibility.

“Looking after these buildings comes at a cost and whilst we have a planned maintenance programme for each of them, we still have repairs that involve major works.

“Those who have visited the town hall over the last few years may have noticed the level of water ingress during bad weather that has been a problem for us, and whilst we have undertaken remedial work to try and stop the water coming in, it has been a losing battle. 

“Therefore, the only way to deal with the problem properly is to carry out more substantial work which over the last few years we have started to budget to pay for.”

The town council recently had Devizes based surveyor Dolmans inspect the roof, which Mr Fisher labelled a “hidden gem” because of its complexity and changes over time.

The subsequent report found the necessary repairs and cost were greater than the town council anticipated.

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In total, the project is expected to cost close to £450,000 with Gaigers providing the “most competitive” tender.

Damage cause by the leaking roof on Devizes Town Hall (Image: Devizes Town Council)

Rather than raise the precept and undertake the work in the following years, the town council opted to borrow the money and complete the repairs immediately.

Mr Fisher added: “Given the deteriorating state of the roof and the effect this will have on the building’s fabric the council feels it needs to undertake these substantial repairs now.

The cost of repaying this loan will be equal to a council tax increase of around £4.10 per year per band D property, although the town council is exploring budget reductions to absorb some of this cost.