A cherished 17th century Grade I-listed building in Reading will finally be repaired after a more than 20 year wait.

Works have started at Chazey Farm Barn, which is one of just six Grade I listed buildings in Reading Borough but has fallen into disrepair.

The barn has been on the Heritage at Risk Register for many years because of its precarious condition and was supposed to be restored as part of a nursing home plan from more than 20 years ago.

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Mapledurham councillor Isobel Ballsdon said: “I am hoping that the works will mean this really important building will be restored sympathetically and retained for the centuries to come.

“It is Caversham’s only grade I listed building. It is a beautiful building albeit in a fairly precarious state.”

Why has it taken so long?

Cllr Ballsdon explained: “The restoration is going to be expensive. That could have made the developer more hesitant because they need the whole project to work financially for them.”

Why is it happening now?

In January, Reading Borough Council (RBC) had warned it would carry out urgent repairs to the barn and charge the owner if no action is taken.

The council and Historic England met with the site’s sub-leaseholders InMind in February to discuss and agree a schedule of urgent works, after years of stalemate.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, the repairs were delayed.

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But last week new scaffolding started going up to support the building, Cllr Ballsdon revealed today.

She said: “It has been really frustrating. It has been impossible to make progress.

“As a result of that meeting in February, things have started to move forward, which is great.”

“Barking”: What is the care home plan?

Built in the 17th century, Chazey Farm Barn forms part of an ancient series of farm buildings with elements dating back to the Norman period.

Chazey Court Barn is owned by Mapledurham Estate and has been sublet to Inmind to carry out the care home plan.

The plan to build a 78-bedroom care home at the site and restore the barn was given planning permission in the late-1990s but has failed to get going in all that time.

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Inmind will now have to prove it has met all conditions of the application – and that the application is therefore still valid – to be able to ahead with the plan.

Richard Bennett, chair of Reading Civic Society, said the nursing home plan “was always a barking idea”, opposed by Reading Civic Society, CADRA and Warren and District Residents Association.

Mapledurham Estates and the Inmind Health Care Group have both been contacted for comment.