Arch decision postponed until summer (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Arch decision postponed until summer

THE decision over the future of Cirencester's historic Norman Arch will not be made until July after councillors unanimously agreed more time was needed to explore different options.

The move, which comes almost a year after the council first agreed to sell the Grade I listed structure, will allow a working group made up of town councillors and members of the Norman Arch Group (NAG) a further six months to decide on a viable option for the building.

At Tuesday's meeting of Cirencester Town Council deputy mayor Peter Hedges presented the working party's interim report with four main options for the future of the arch.

These included;

An open market sale

A commercial or residential lease

Leasing the building to a heritage trust

Maintaining the town council's ownership.

He proposed the decision to market the arch should be put on hold until all four options can be explored fully.

Cllr Hedges was seconded by Cllr Deryck Nash who warned the town council retaining ownership meant provisions for its upkeep would need to be made.

The working party will now continue to meet and further examine the four options.

Cllr Hedges said: "It is possible some of the options will be ruled out, I expect we will be better informed as to which option is best. There are still some significant issues that need to be explored, that doesn't mean we will end up not selling the arch but there are some significant issues."

Speaking after the meeting members of NAG agreed the postponing of the final decision on the arch until July was a positive move.

A NAG spokesman said: "It is a good result for the town and gives adequate time to come up with a winning solution. We are grateful to the town council for letting the working party work."