Repair works to a historic Grade I listed barn in Caversham “are not a restoration”, community groups have warned.

Concerned Reading residents have expressed their delight that work has started to repair Chazey Farm Barn, in The Warren, but said “a long journey” is likely still ahead.

The barn, one of just six Grade I listed buildings in Reading, 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 care home plan approved more than ten years ago.

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Works finally started to keep the building standing and watertight on April 22, with the initial scaffolding work expected to be complete within two weeks.

Why has it taken so long?

The existing planning permission for a 78-bedroom care home was granted at a planning appeal in 2009 after a decade of failed proposals.

Ground works were undertaken in 2010, but nothing further happened, with the original planned operator of the care home reportedly going bust.

In 2013, with no action being taken to build the planned nursing home or to safeguard the barn, Reading Civic Society, Caversham and District Residents Association (CADRA) and others pressed Historic England and RBC to take action.

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

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The council and Historic England met with 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.

“Delighted but this is not a restoration”: Community leaders speak out

A spokesman for Reading Civic Society and CADRA said they are “delighted” to learn that a contractor has started to undertake “vital, but minimal” urgent works to prevent further deterioration of the barn.

The works are aimed to prevent further deterioration of the structure by ensuring it is wind and weatherproof, safe from collapse, vandalism and theft.

But the spokesman added: “Sadly the work to be undertaken is not a restoration. We will be interested to hear the plans to properly repair, and bring this historic barn back into practical use.

“Chazey farm barn is a unique heritage asset in the town and its future is of interest to many residents."

The community and heritage groups congratulated RBC for "finally implementing an Urgent Works Notice” and said they understand the difficulties RBC has had in identifying and engaging with current leaseholder InMind.

They said they hope the building being sympathetically restored, which would “mark an end to two decades of sequential planning applications and inaction on this site but suspect it will still be a long journey”.

What happens next?

While initial works to repair the building begin, the council will now look to establish whether the existing planning permission is still valid.

A RBC spokesman said the council will be monitoring progress of the works closely to ensure the historic building is protected for the benefit of future generations to come.

Historic England said the works have been agreed with its experts and it remains committed to working with the owner and council to seek a long-term solution for the barn.

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Mark Carlisle, agent for the Mapledurham Estate, which owns the lands, said trustees are “pleased to see their tenants are starting to comply with their responsibilities under the lease”.

He added that all matters relating to the construction of the care home “rest exclusively with the tenants.”

InMind were contacted for comment but did not respond.