Historic buildings at risk (From Somerset County Gazette)

Historic buildings at risk

10:03am Wednesday 22nd August 2007 in Search By Chris Alder

TWO historic buildings in West Somerset have been listed as being at serious risk of further decay and damage.

The Chantry at Sea Lane, Kilve, and an ironstone mine ventilation shaft in Chargot Wood, Luxborough, have both been put on a list of buildings at risk by Government heritage organisation English Heritage.Now, a call has gone out to the Government to act before the buildings are gone forever.

Theo Butt Philip, Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for West Somerset said: "These buildings are important to our local heritage.

"Their loss would be a big blow and my fear is that with current funding so limited, restoring them in the future will be even more expensive."

He said English Heritage had suffered a big drop in the amount of money by the Government, from £6.6 million in 1999, to £4.4 million last year.

He said: "Building and repair costs are rising and without government action to stop the rot now, it may become too expensive to save some of our great historic buildings."

He has called for VAT charged on renovating or extending homes and buildings to be lowered to make it cheaper for people who own older, historic buildings to carry out repairs and renovation.