The Leaden Hall site is located in Flood Zone 3: the highest level of risk. The planning application included a Flood Risk Assessment. An independent technical review by Aegaea identified eleven issues relating to the Flood Risk Assessment. (The report can be viewed here.) Six were of high severity.
Subsequently, the Society wrote to Becky Jones, Senior Planning Officer, raising a series of questions about the decision to locate the archive in a flood zone. (The letter can be viewed here.)
Aegaea also wrote to Becky Jones asking that the application be paused until the Environment Agency published the new information.
The trustees would expect that no decisions are taken until the issues raised have been answered satisfactorily.
The Environment Agency has written to Paul Oakley, whose organisation is leading on the applications for Leaden Hall, to say that the 2025 Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning will be published on 10thSeptember and the Risk of Flooding Rivers and Sea information will be published on 24th September 2026. (This will still not include the data following extensive flooding earlier this year.)
The change of use application (PL/2024/00373) has been put on hold until the updated information has been released by the EA. In response to an email from the Society, Becky Jones, the responsible Senior Planning Officer, advised on 28th July, that that application and the one relating to works to Leaden Hall (PL/2024/00720) will be considered together. The applicant may then decide to submit further material and Wiltshire Council will then determine whether to open a further consultation.
The Society will watch out for the EA’s updated information, the applicant’s response and Wiltshire’s decision about consultation on this sensitive and important site.
Prior to the letter from the EA and the decision to suspend consideration of the application, the Society produced a briefing paper on flooding issues affecting Leaden Hall and the proposed archive in particular.
It can be accessed here.
The Gardens of Leaden Hall
Historic England decided not to register the gardens of Leaden Hall. The trustees considered that this was the wrong decision. They decided the best way forward would be to ensure that the substantial amount of material generated by the application should be sent to the Senior Planning Officer, Becky Jones, so that it could be considered as part of the comments on the application. The letter to Becky Jones can be viewed here.
Enforcement
In June 2025, the trustees wrote to the Enforcement Team at Wiltshire Council asking what action had been taken in response to Historic England’s expressions of concern about the state of Leaden Hall. There was no reply.
On 3rd June 2026, the Chair wrote to Nic Thomas the Director responsible for enforcement asking about progress on enforcing repairs at Leaden Hall, as well as follow-up to the failed planning application for the car park and the misuse of Marsh Close. (Historic England had previously expressed concern about the “degraded” condition of the car park and about the use of Marsh Close for inappropriate activities such as car parking.) A copy of the Chair’s letter can be viewed here.
After some reminders, on 3rd July the Society received a response from James Weddell regarding Leaden Hall which was partially satisfactory. He advised that since the building was now weathertight, “inappropriate stripping out works” had been stopped and a specialist-led repair strategy was agreed in principle, officers did not consider the tests for serving an Urgent Repair Notice were currently met, but would continue to review the situation.
As regards the planning application, he said the Council’s position was (quoted material in italics):
- The condition of the building and the use of statutory powers are separate matters from the determination of planning applications
- The current applications will be determined on their own merits, having regard to the Development Plan and national policy
- In line with paragraph 209 of the NPPF, any deterioration or neglect will not be taken into account in a way that would justify inappropriate development
He said that the links between repair works and elements of the proposed changes were planning consent to be given had “influenced the timing of certain repair interventions” citing the structural floor strengthening.
Whilst pleased to learn of Wiltshire Council’s intervention, the trustees remain concerned at the insensitivity and lack of care for the building and grounds. They consider that, given the passage of time, there is scope for a more searching investigation into the repairs that could be carried out irrespective of whether the application is granted or not.
Having received no response regarding the car park or Marsh Close, the Chair wrote again to Nic Thomas on 29th July. Nic Thomas sent a holding reply on 30th July. As yet, there has been no substantive response.
It is a cause of concern that it should take so long to achieve a substantive response, not to mention evidence of any activity demonstrating care for the setting of Grade 1 listed cathedral.
The trustees will continue to pursue these issues actively.