Cotswold railway station by Brunel to be renovated

The council's priority is to make it watertight

Cotswold District Council has been granted consent to fix up a former Brunel railway station in Cirencester.

The council's main priority is to repair the former railway building and make it watertight.

The Old Railway Station is a Brunel building from 1841, with later additions including mid-20th century extensions and alterations.

However, the building ceased to be a railway station in the mid-20th century and is now surrounded by a car park.

The Grade II listed Gothic-style construction is made of Cotswold limestone and roofed using Welsh slate.

'Delighted'

The council's planning and licensing committee has granted the authority listed-building consent to undertake rendering repairs, to remove modern plaster, repair the roof and replace tiles.

Councillor Mark Harris told the committee on 9 August that he was "delighted" the plans had finally been given consent.

He was "absolutely shocked" that the last time planning permission was granted for the building was in 1981.

"I don't know what has been going on because I've been speaking to people at this council for many years, saying we should be able to use it for community centre, youth centre. And the civic society have tried to do something.

"Every time I've been told that if we commit to [doing] something we may not be able to get out of it - so we won't [commit]. But [I'm] stunned it [has been] 42 years.

"I absolutely support this application."

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the scheme.