Former Dorset school is 'high arson risk' says councillor
Councillor Robin Legg says the site is a focus for anti-social behaviour
A Dorset building, which more than two years ago Dorset Council said it was keeping ‘under review’, is now said to be a high arson risk.
Sherborne rural councillor Robin Legg said Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue now had serious concerns about arson at the property, a former school, which has been empty for more than two decades.
Their views have been shared with Dorset Police.
In a written question he claims the site has become increasingly derelict and is now a focus for anti-social behaviour.
The Grade 2 listed Newall House, parts of which date from the 17th century, stands at the junction of the A30 and Marston Road. It is overgrown with ivy, dilapidated and no longer water-tight, having been daubed with graffiti and vandalised over recent years.
Resident in the area have previously called on the council to take action.
Portfolio holder for housing Cllr Gill Taylor told a people and health overview committee that it was ‘not appropriate’ to discuss the details in public – but said that because the building is a former school it falls outside the scope of the council’s empty homes strategy.
“The council is aware of this building and action has been taken by Building Control, Conservation and the Housing Standards team to liase with the owner, secure the site and protect against unauthorised entry… it doesn’t mean we are not doing anything – work is going on in the background,” she told the meeting in response to the question from Cllr Legg.
The former school building was closed in 2000 with a public push made in 2023 for Dorset Council to take action, including direct questions to a council meeting.
Said the then chairman of the Sherborne branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England Sir Christopher Colville: “the council appears either powerless or disinclined to take any positive action to preserve our heritage buildings.”
He said the council’s stance contrasted with work being carried out at the time to transform Sherborne House into an arts and performance centre while an even older, much-loved building has been allowed to become derelict.
“We find it disappointing that a house listed seventy-two years ago by an official government agency is then effectively abandoned by local authorities when it deteriorates,” he said.
Portfolio holder for planning at the time Cllr David Walsh (Gillingham, Con) said that with no active breaches of planning or listed building control the state of the building was a matter for the owner.
“We have brought this to the attention of the owner and also looked into the scope of using powers under the Town and Country Planning Act to address maintenance of the building. But such action needs to be demonstrably in the public interest and, in assessing this, we must also have regard to the circumstances of the owner/occupier. At this present time, it is considered that such action would not be expedient, but officers will keep the situation under review,” he said.