Listed building consent granted for works to derelict St Bartholemew’s Priory farmhouse, in Sudbury

A derelict historic farmhouse on the site of a former priory in Sudbury could be saved after a package of works was given the nod by planners.

Babergh District Council has approved an application by David May for listed building consent for works inside and outside at the Grade II-listed St Bartholemew’s Priory farmhouse, in St Bartholemew’s Lane.

The farmhouse was purchased by the applicant’s family as a working farm in the early 1900s.

It has been unoccupied for more than 25 years and, according to a heritage, design and access statement, ‘has suffered deterioration, unauthorised access and vandalism as a result’.

The statement added: “The applicant’s family continued to farm until his grandfather’s death in 1997. With no family member to continue farming and with Sudbury encroaching on its borders from all sites, the property began to decline over time, despite attempts by the family to find an alternative use.

“The single storey buildings were demolished in 2004 and listed barn was destroyed by fire in 2011. Since that time it has remained unoccupied and is now in need of major restoration to make it habitable.

“The building in its current condition is uninhabitable and unmortgageable, so the proposed enabling development is essential as it provides the only option to fund these works.”

The Sudbury Society said it welcomed the works and restoration, but had some concerns, adding: “The overall significance of the St Bartholomew’s Priory site appears to have been somewhat overlooked in its planning history.

“The site itself is reported in the historic survey as dating back to 1115, when the chapel was served by a grange of Westminster Abbey.

“The site is of sufficient historic importance that any decisions on future use of any parts of the site should form an overall plan for the whole site, including the chapel.”

The official Historic England listing for St Bartholemew’s Priory farmhouse describes the property as mid to late 16th century, with late 19th century alterations and a farmhouse.

It adds: “Built on the site of a former cell or grange of the Benedictine Westminster Abbey and probably built as a farmhouse soon after the Dissolution in 1538.”

The farmhouse and adjacent Grade II*-listed chapel are the only remaining buildings on the priory site.

Babergh planners granted consent to the works, subject to conditions.

A separate outline planning application for up to nine homes on part of the priory site was withdrawn earlier this year.

However, a planning application for a new vehicular access to the site on former agricultural land was submitted to Babergh District Council last week.