The future of the historic Ashton Court mansion, which could potentially house a 'penthouse flat', is under question.
The largely derelict mansion, situated within the expansive Ashton Court grounds to the west of Bristol, may soon be taken over by a trust with an ambitious repair programme.
Currently, parts of the mansion are used for events and functions.
Since 1959, the Grade-I listed building has been in the possession of Bristol City Council. However, due to its deteriorating condition, Historic England has expressed concerns about the mansion's risk status.
As a result, the council is contemplating granting a long lease to a trust that will undertake the necessary repairs.
The strategy and resources policy committee will review the proposals put forth by the Bristol Historic Buildings Trust on Monday, October 13. A committee report has outlined the specifics of their plans, including measures to rectify the leaky roof.
The report stated: "Their vision is to create a sustainable future for Ashton Court mansion to benefit the community and all who visit and use the wonderful spaces. Their mission is to curate a range of uses and activities that generate funds to both preserve the heritage and future of Ashton Court mansion."
Urgent maintenance work is currently under way, with the council enlisting a specialist surveyor to address immediate issues such as walls, roof and windows failing to keep out the elements. This includes compiling a list of all building defects and recommended repairs, as well as deploying a drone to identify any roof problems.
A plan is expected by the end of the month.
Bristol Historic Buildings has a track record of working on several other historic sites across the city, including the 18th-century Kings Weston House, the Lamplighters pub and the St Michael on the Mount Without church. Their restoration efforts include stonework, roofing, internal decoration and landscaping.
In their proposal for Ashton Court, the trust warned: "The last 65 years, with very little action and the leaking roof, will be dwarfed by the catastrophic decline that will occur if nothing is done very soon. We are now at a critical moment in time. 75 per cent of the building is derelict, and there has already been one fire in the property in recent times."
Alongside repairing the roof, the plans also involve installing a new heating, hot water and power system, addressing the drainage issues, and refurbishing the ground floor rooms used for events. The mansion could potentially serve as a pilot project to revamp the "archaic listed building process", which has ironically hindered the building's restoration, according to the trust.
The trust is aiming to secure a 125-year lease, whilst the council retains the freehold. The initial 10 years would be rent-free, followed by a profit-sharing arrangement with the council at 10 per cent.
In the long run, there could even be scope for residential accommodation within sections of the mansion. For instance, the top floor of the West Wing could potentially be transformed into "an amazing penthouse flat".
