Exmouth sail loft thrown lifeline

A DECAYING 200-year-old Regency sail loft in Camperdown Terrace is set to be thrown a lifeline after town councillors backed a plan to preserve part of its crumbling structure.

On Monday, town planners agreed to an application by owners of the grade II listed sail loft at 11 Camperdown Terrace to cover the crumbling rendering on exposed walls with wooden boarding to prevent further entropy.

The building is currently used for storage and the plan is to fix boarding via wooden battens onto the rendering, protecting the wall but allowing it to ‘breath’.

But councillors had concerns that the removal of the existing rendering on the exposed areas would just be covered up, left and not restored – so town councillors have called for a review of the building in 12 months time.

The loft was built in the reign of the last Hanoverian King George III and town clerk John Wokersien said: “Although putting boarding on it looks like just covering over the cracks it keeps it in reasonable condition for the time being.

“It will protect it until restoration work can get under way.”

Cllr Ian Stewart said: “We have a bit of a problem here.

“Normally we would agree subject to the conservation officers’ report.

“We have concerns but he says the work will be of a temporary nature.

“I would say we don’t have much choice if we want to preserve the fabric of the building.”

Cllr Steve Gazzard said: “I have real concerns here.

“Putting up timber boarding would detract from the character of the building.

“I’m quite happy to see them come back to us in 12 months. Any longer than that we could have some real problems.”

The plans will now be considered by district planners.