Down Mill ruins' future still hang in balance

Rother planning committee opposes a bid by a residents' management company for permission to removal that last remains of the former Down windmill.

Last Thursday's meeting had been recommended to refuse permission. But, on an amendment, they agreed to a deferment until their next meeting in February to give officers time to seek a settlement with the residents.

The Old Mill Park Management Company had sought consent to demolish the remains, still a Grade II Listed structure despite the mill have toppled in a storm in the Sixties.

Officers had recommended refusal on the grounds that it was a Listed structure of architectural and historic interest which should be preserved and that the residents' management company had not demonstrated that complete demolition was unavoidable.

The mill's remains are covered by a Section 106 Planning Obligation, imposed when planning permission was granted for the building of the Old Mill Park homes.

The management company had said a covering letter that the trestle, consisting of a post, crosstrees and quarter-bars, had been exposed to the elements since the mill blew down in a storm in 1966. They said that despite efforts to preserve them, the remains had become so decayed that they were now incapable of repair and unsafe.

While English Heritage does not object, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings strongly opposes the application, arguing that only 13 years ago when the Old Mill Park development was started it was necessary to impose the Section 106 agreement.

The society argues that it is possible to save the remains - through this will involve expenditure.

It concedes that the trestle would have to be renewed.

Thirteen letters of objection to loss of the remains have been received citing them as a prominent local landmark, an integral part of Bexhill's heritage, a Listed structure of considerable historic interest and capable of becoming an asset rather than a liability.

Bexhill Museum objects, saying there appears to have been no attempt to work a strategy for the preservation of the mill remains and suggesting that Rother, English Heritage, the Sussex Archaeological Society and other bodies should be approached.

Planning officer Roger Scott said further letters from the management company had said the residents' primary concern was safety and that "unacceptable activities" were going on in the ruins.

The company says a 2,000 repair scheme would safeguard the ruins for only two to three more years.

Mr Scott said the agreement required residents to maintain the ruins. Whether this obligation extended to the need to replace timbers was a debatable point.

On behalf of Cllr Paul Lendon, who had to declare an interest, Cllr Jimmy Carroll said people residents had been aware of their responsibility when the purchased properties at Old Mill Park.

Moving the amendment, Cllr David Vereker said: "It seems to me pretty pointless to replace the original timbers with new timbers because I don't think that's going to achieve anything.

Cllr Deirdre Williams said the ruins were part of Bexhill's history. "I just feel we have to support the recommendation."

Cllr Brian Kentfield said residents had taken on the responsibility when they bought their homes.

Head of planning Frank Rallings said it would be prudent to defer for a month. But the message to the management company was that the committee was concerned about their wish to dispose of the ruins which were an historic local structure.

The objections showed there were a lot of interested parties and who might be prepared to work together to save it.