MORE than £150,000 has been set aside to repair the former railway station in Cirencester.

The Old Station in Sheep Street has remained vacant for a number of years and engineers have recently identified a number of structural issues in the Grade II listed building.

Inside, the west wall - which is adjacent to the old platform - has been identified as structurally unstable, due partially to extensive rot in structural timbers.

The necessary remedial work involves rebuilding the brick and timber wall, along with associated works to the parapet and guttering above it and the abutting walls. 

Structural scaffolding has recently been erected to support the wall ahead of the repair works.

Cotswold District Council has allocated £158,000 towards these structural repairs.

The New Brewery Arts team were in talks with the council about working together to renovate the Old Station and Memorial Cottages into a cultural centre, but have recently decided not to proceed with this project.

Cllr Lisa Spivey, CDC cabinet member for Communities and Public Safety, said: “This investment underscores our commitment to preserving the Old Station while we look at all options to protect these buildings for future generations and bring them back into use.  

“Unique buildings like this are often a challenge as they come with high price tags for maintenance. 

"Also, The Old Station was designed for a specific purpose which brings difficulty in adapting it for use in other ways. 

“We would like to thank New Brewery Arts for their work with us to look at new ways to bring the building back into use. 

"Unfortunately, the numbers didn't stack up on that project, so we are continuing to explore other options over the coming months."