Cirencester's Old Station to be repaired after investment

The Old Station in Cirencester has been vacant for a number of years

A former railway station is set to be repaired as councillors explore options for its future use.

The Old Station in Cirencester has been vacant for years and has structural instabilities, which are being addressed.

Cotswold District Council's cabinet has approved an investment of £158,000 to repair the building.

After New Brewery Arts pulled out of a renovation proposal, the council has been exploring alternatives.

It hopes to preserve the Old Station for "future generations".

Structurally unstable

The council is investing in repairs to the site as it continues to explore options for the renovation of future use for the Old Station and Memorial Hospital Cottages.

It comes after engineers found structural instability in the west wall adjacent to the old platform.

Extensive rot in structural timbers has rendered the wall structurally unstable, with structural scaffolding erected as necessary remedial work is carried out.

The brick and timber wall is being rebuilt, and work is also being done on the parapet and guttering above it and the abutting walls.

Following New Brewery Arts' decision to pull out of a renovation proposal, the council hopes to find a solution which will ensure the Old Station and Memorial Hospital Cottages contribute to Cirencester town centre's cultural and historical significance.

Councillor Lisa Spivey said the council is "committed to preserving the Old Station" and is looking at "all options to protect these buildings for future generations and bring them back into use".

"Unique buildings like this are often a challenge as they come with high price tags for maintenance," Ms Spivey said.

"Also, The Old Station was designed for a specific purpose which brings difficulty in adapting it for use in other ways.

"We would like to thank New Brewery Arts for their work with us to look at new ways to bring the building back into use.

Unfortunately, the numbers didn't stack up on that project, so we are continuing to explore other options over the coming months," she added.