Does quality of Melksham House refurbishment rest on government funding approval?

PLANS to refurbish Melksham House into a “multifunctional hub” could be “significantly improved” if Wiltshire Council’s bid for government funding is successful. 

“Around £2million” has been set aside by Wiltshire Council for the refurbishment of Melksham House. In addition, the council has also bid for “around £5million” from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund – which is designed to reenergise town centres, improve community space and help local businesses – which Wiltshire Council has said will support its plans to refurbish Melksham House. 

Speaking at last month’s Melksham Area Board meeting, Wiltshire Council’s head of service of its economic regeneration department, Rory Bowen, said that if successful, the government funding would allow the council to provide a “significantly improved business and community multi-functional space at Melksham House”. 

When questioned by Melksham News about what the ‘improvements’ would mean for Wiltshire Council’s plans for Melksham House, leader of Wiltshire Council, cllr Richard Clewer, told Melksham News, “Around £2m has been set aside for the refurbishment of Melksham House. This will ensure its sustainable and purposeful future as a flexible hub for business and a space for the wider community, while maintaining the building’s cultural and historical importance.  

“As well as this investment, if successful, the Levelling Up Fund bid, which has received tremendous support from Michelle Donelan MP, will create even more opportunities for the area. This will include a provision of sustainable transport measures that would bring a range of enhancements, such as improving accessibility and connectivity between Melksham House and the town centre. 

“With this project and the campus build currently in progress, Melksham is benefitting from significant investment to help the area thrive as much as possible, which is particularly important as we come out of the pandemic.” 

At the area board meeting, Wiltshire Council’s Rory Bowen stressed that the wait for a decision regarding the Levelling Up Fund bid – which is expected in the autumn – will not affect the timeline for the plans to refurbish Melksham House. “It’s “full steam ahead,” said Rory Bowen. 

A planning application to convert the Grade II listed building into a “flexible  workspace” and its rear hall into a “multi-purpose activity/ community space”, is expected to be made this month. Wiltshire Council has said that it will propose that the “newer” extensions to the rear of the house should be demolished. 

“It’s absolutely essential that we have a consented scheme for Melksham House, as it is a pre-occupation condition of the planning consent for Melksham Campus,” explained Wiltshire Council’s head of community development, Louise Cary, at last month’s area board meeting. She added that a design team had been “working hard” over the last two to three months to develop the designs. 

Residents can find out more about Wiltshire Council’s plans by visiting Melksham Library this week. The designs for the historic building are on display at the library during its opening hours, until Friday 9th July.  

About its plans for the building, Wiltshire Council says, “The provision of flexible workspaces will help support local businesses as the county emerges from the Covid-19 crisis. A new flexible workplace and community hub would also reduce the town’s exposure to losses of local employment opportunities, reduce out of town commuting and provide a base for workers looking for a collaborative, co-working environment. The house would also include multi-purpose community space. 

“Set alongside the new Melksham Campus, this project would help that area become a centre of activity for the town, driving footfall and business opportunity to the area.”