The world’s oldest iron-framed building in danger
[pg1]The world's oldest iron-framed building, hidden from public view for decades, is in danger of collapsing through neglect, according to a local authority conservation officer.
[fg]jpg|The docks looking from the mouth of the Medway in an easterly direction. In the foreground to the right can be seen the Grade I Boat Store (in front of the yellow-roofed warehouses). To the left is the Napoleonic Garrison fort.|Image[/fg]
The 150-year-old boat store in Sheerness Docks is the only surviving forerunner of the modern skyscraper and is so important it was made a scheduled ancient monument many years ago.
Despite this, its condition has continued to deteriorate along with up to 50 other listed buildings in the docks. Now legal action is being taken to force Medway Ports to stop the rot before it is too late.
Conservation officer for Swale Council Peter Bell said: "They are going for profit and ignoring the duty of care they have towards these national treasures. That is morally reprehensible."
Many of the buildings are in a poor condition and in a deplorable state of deterioration. It depends on which experts you consult, but it has been said that the boat store is in imminent danger of collapse. "I am not an engineer so I don’t know. We need a survey to reveal how serious the problem is before it is too late."
But, more importantly, Mr. Bell says it is now crucial that action be taken to stabilize the buildings by carrying out urgent repairs without further delay.
"My fear is that any long-term solution will be expensive and take at least five years to implement. If the rot continues for that long there won’t be any buildings left to save," he said.
Talks between Medway Ports, Swale Council and English Heritage have been going on for years in an attempt to resolve the problems surrounding the former Royal Navy buildings.
Until now, the council has always shied away from taking legal action, but matters were brought to a head after councillors saw for themselves the effect of neglect.
[pg2]Time and weather is having on the fabric of these unique historic buildings.
It is understood that, despite nearly 50 buildings giving cause for concern, Medway Ports is currently facing just three writs, all relating to a terrace of 15 houses in Regency Close. The first is an urgent repair notice; the second is a listed building repair notice and the third, a listed building enforcement notice.
The decision was taken in a closed session of the planning committee and was supported unanimously by members. The move is unprecedented and has been described by one councillor as a “David and Goliath” battle.
Mr. Bell said: “There is a massive outbreak of dry rot in these houses and this is extremely worrying. We cannot let this continue. Every window, every door and pretty much every piece of wood is affected.”
The roof is also in a poor state of repair and water is leaking in causing damage throughout the structure. Work began in mid-November on repairing the terrace to comply with the urgent repair notice, with scaffolding and tarpaulin being erected to protect the structure from further damage. Dry rot treatment is also being carried out.
The listed building repair notice is the next step, compelling Medway Ports to restore the houses to their original glory. The bill for this is likely to be many millions of pounds because every room and the entire outside needs work. However, Mr. Bell said he has decided not to serve this until the future of the terrace was determined. “The right buyer could solve these problems without us needing to use statutory powers,” he said.
Finally, the Enforcement notice has been issued because Medway Ports has replaced some window frames with softwood instead of oak hardwood used in the originals. This notice is to force them to do the job again to the correct standards.
To underline its determination Swale Council has given Medway Ports four months in which to take the necessary steps or face further action.
Mr. Bell said: “I shall be talking to the harbour company in the hope that they will co-operate. We would rather do this by negotiation but I now have the power to force Medway Ports if they refuse.”
Part of the problem is that little public pressure is brought to bear because most people are unaware that such an important collection of architectural masterpieces exists within Sheerness docks, because access has always been restricted.
“While it was run by the Royal Navy no plan existed, the Ordnance Survey map just showed it as a white space. It is only in the past 20 or 30 years that experts gained access and realised the significance of the buildings. By then many of them had already been lost forever,” said Mr. Bell.
“I can see a situation where the remaining buildings are also lost, creating an outcry across the world but hardly a murmur on Sheppey.”
Sittingbourne Cllr Bob Baxter, a member of the Council for Kentish Archaeology, is so worried about the situation he wrote to his Sheppey colleagues urging them to stop “being gentle” with the owners.
He said: “We have taken on one of the big boys. But we have to demonstrate that we mean business. We must face up to our responsibilities to safeguard listed properties in the borough. If owners won’t keep them in good condition voluntarily, we must make them. I am very satisfied by this decision.”
He hopes that continued bad publicity will force Medway Ports to take action rather than face a public court battle.
He was supported by Brian Sinclair, of the Sheerness Society, who said: “We have already lost a lot of buildings and the rest are inaccessible to the public.
“We have been dependent on the good offices of English Heritage and Swale Council to ensure that these buildings are saved for the nation. If this cannot be achieved amicably I support the proposal to get tough with Medway Ports before it is too late.”
[fg]jpg|Regency Terrace (subject of the enforcement notices) is in the centre foreground. Dockyard House is to the left. Slightly above and parallel is Navel Terrace and to its left is the burnt out shell of the Dockyard Church.|Image[/fg]
Various schemes have been discussed in the past, including dismantling the Boat Store and moving it to a site outside the docks. None have so far succeeded because of cost or problems with access.
Medway Ports has already sold some buildings, including the Dockyard Church, which was recently gutted by fire. It now has another collection, including Dockyard House, Dockyard Cottage, The Stables, No 1 and 2 Main Gate, and the 15 houses in Regency Close, up for sale.
Spokesman for Medway Ports Maria Clarke said: “We realise that people feel strongly about this issue and we have been seeking a long-term solution with English Heritage. The package we put up for sale is clustered in a non-operational area, however, there are a number of problems associated with selling the sites. Services, for instance, are tied in with the docks and access is obviously an issue.”
It is understood however, that a firm offer to buy the properties is now under consideration.
Mr. Bell has emphasized that he is attempting to persuade the harbour authority to put together a plan to protect the remaining historic buildings in their ownership.
John Hammond