The future of Sherbourne House, the 1720 Grade I listed Dorset mansion and the arts and education programme it houses, may be secured following a landmark council decision last month.
The building, which is owned by Dorset County Council, was one of the projects that lost out to Manchester's Victoria Baths in the first BBC Restoration series in 2004. It was subsequently turned down for a separate £3m Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant in 2006.
Until last month, Dorset County Council planned to sell the building, leaving the arts and education centre homeless (Museums Journal April 2007, p29). The decision also meant it was unlikely that the heir of Dorset sculptress Elisabeth Frink would donate a selection of sculptures and her archive to the arts centre.
According to John Miller, the chairman of the Sherborne House Trust, Dorset County Council has come up with an 'innovative solution' to secure its future.
The council has consented to the commercial development of land behind the house and a strip of land owned by the local fire authority. The site opens on to a currently inaccessible piece of privately-owned land, allowing it to be part of the 2.48 acre development.
The council estimates that the minimum value of the deal would be £1.5m, of which at least £650,000 will be given to the trust to secure the roof and exterior fabric of the building. The trust will also be given a 99-year lease, allowing it to go back to the HLF and other funding bodies with a revised plan. Miller described the council scheme as 'incredibly helpful and creative'.
The plan must now go to West Dorset District Council for planning approval and to English Heritage to ensure the mixed-use development meets Grade I listed property requirements. It must also fit with the district council's need for sheltered housing for the elderly and for key workers.
Jane Morris
The building, which is owned by Dorset County Council, was one of the projects that lost out to Manchester's Victoria Baths in the first BBC Restoration series in 2004. It was subsequently turned down for a separate £3m Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant in 2006.
Until last month, Dorset County Council planned to sell the building, leaving the arts and education centre homeless (Museums Journal April 2007, p29). The decision also meant it was unlikely that the heir of Dorset sculptress Elisabeth Frink would donate a selection of sculptures and her archive to the arts centre.
According to John Miller, the chairman of the Sherborne House Trust, Dorset County Council has come up with an 'innovative solution' to secure its future.
The council has consented to the commercial development of land behind the house and a strip of land owned by the local fire authority. The site opens on to a currently inaccessible piece of privately-owned land, allowing it to be part of the 2.48 acre development.
The council estimates that the minimum value of the deal would be £1.5m, of which at least £650,000 will be given to the trust to secure the roof and exterior fabric of the building. The trust will also be given a 99-year lease, allowing it to go back to the HLF and other funding bodies with a revised plan. Miller described the council scheme as 'incredibly helpful and creative'.
The plan must now go to West Dorset District Council for planning approval and to English Heritage to ensure the mixed-use development meets Grade I listed property requirements. It must also fit with the district council's need for sheltered housing for the elderly and for key workers.
Jane Morris
