Plans for 'urgent' work lodged to save canal buildings from decay and dilapidation

The Canal & Rivers Trust's maintenance buildings at Ellesmere yard are considered to be of "important historical significance" due to the canal's links to the great engineers of the past Thomas Telford and William Jessop.

But work needs to be done to repair the buildings, specifically the engine house, timber store and covered walkway adjoining the iron stores.

A heritage, design and access statement says: "This particular canal maintenance yard is considered to be (along with Hartshill Maintenance Yard & Wharf in Warwickshire) one of the last remaining complete examples of its type in the country.

"Its associations with important canal engineers such as Thomas Telford and William Jessop and the development of an important historic commercial infrastructure of the late 18th and early 19th centuries provide an invaluable source of important architectural, historic and archaeological interest that allow the story of the canal age to be told with a greater sense of historic and evidential accuracy.

"The buildings under consideration are significant parts of a greater whole that should be maintained for future generations to help understand how important commercial infrastructures developed during the Industrial Revolution were to period’s overall development."

It adds: "As part of the funding agreement with Historic England, a programme of urgent works has been identified in relation to the Grade II designated canal maintenance yard buildings which also includes the installation of surface water drainage from the adjoining field to discharge into canal."

If plans are approved, the slate roof of the timber store would be "carefully" removed and reinstated with new Welsh natural slates where required.

"Battens for this roof section are to be carefully removed and replaced like-for-like with softwood battens, with new torching to reinstated slates," the report adds.

Work would also involve replacing rooflights, treating hardwood framing, salvaging and reinstating glass panes and using like for like replacements where required, and replacing a section of corrugated asbestos roofing with slates.

Work on the engine house would include masonry repairs and a replacement hardwood beam to the north wall, including piecing in new stone to match what is currently there. New guttering and timber cladding would also be done.

The covered walkway would be "carefully dismantled", setting aside bricks, slates and cast-iron post for reinstatement. New timber rafters would be fixed in place. The area of brickwork above an existing structural opening to the west side is not to be rebuilt.

To view and comment on the application visit pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=SIONNLTDJXY00