Ref. 23151-35STREET entertainer Robert Stredder has castigated Swindon Council and English Heritage over planning delays which, he claims, have allowed a once-beautiful grade two listed farmhouse to become almost derelict.

Dentist Patrick Holmes, who runs Sevenfields Health Care Ltd, wants to restore the mid-18th century Groundwell Farm and use part of the building for his private practice.

He hopes to let the rest of it to fringe medical practitioners and make some of the land available for new houses.

But two years after he came up with his scheme the council has still to give planning approval. Because the house is grade two listed English Heritage will also have a say.

Mr Stredder, who formed Les Theatres des Bicyclettes and is well known as a performance artist, lived at the farm for 15 years when it was home to an arts group.

He regards the declining condition of the old house as shameful and accuses the council, which owned it for several years and later sold it to a developer, of neglect and inefficiency.

"The house has been empty for some eight years, a prey to vandalism, neglect and the weather," he said.

"It is not properly protected by security and has been broken into several times, with the attendant risk of fire. No-one has been prosecuted."

Groundwell Farm, he said, must not become "yet another statistic in Swindon's neglect" of historic buildings.

Mr Stredder, who now lives in Holdcroft Close, Blunsdon, lists the old Corn Exchange in Old Town and the near derelict Mechanics' Institute as other examples of the council's failure to act.

He is now urging people who feel strongly about Swindon's heritage to press for urgent action on the planning issues relating to Groundwell Farm.

Patrick Holmes, the 34-year-old dentist who more than two years ago had to re-mortgage his practice to buy it is even more frustrated by the planning hold-up.

"We are probably more anxious than Mr Stredder is to see Groundwell Farm restored," said his practice manager Mandy Clements, who is involved in the project.

"There is no doubt that the building has deteriorated in the last year." The roof urgently needs replacing, she said, but it cannot be done until Mr Holmes knows whether he will get planning consent to build houses on some of the land.

"It seems that every time we get in touch we are told something else needs doing before we can be given approval."

English Nature demanded a survey of bats and owls that had been living in the property's rafters. "And now Cotswold Archaeology is carrying out a dig," she said.

"But we are hopeful that when these reports are in something will begin to happen.

"It is Patrick's dream of where he wants to take the practice and he is still optimistic. But if something isn't done in the next six months harsh decisions might have to be made about the building's future."

Council spokesman Gavin Calthrop said that the planning application involved access, the age of the house and consent for new buildings.

"Because of its complexity we are awaiting guidance from English Heritage."

The council was in discussions with the owner and the application was ongoing, he added.

Shirley Mathias