Historic Gosport building Anglesey Lodge 'can be repaired' claims council leader
AN HISTORIC building that went up in flames last month was not as badly damaged as first feared.
On November 6 a fire roared through Anglesey Lodge, a grade two listed building in Anglesey Road, Gosport.
The building has stood for hundreds of years and although it has been vacant in recent times, it remains a much-loved place by locals.
Once firefighters had put the fire out, it was estimated that the building was 80 per cent destroyed.
But leader of Gosport Borough Council, Cllr Mark Hook, says the site can likely be restored to its former glory.
‘From what I’ve heard, its not quite as badly damaged as we initially feared, and it can be repaired,’ he said.
‘That work will be down to the new owners, so they will have to be in contact with the council and Historic England to ensure it's built to the required standards.
‘When we first saw the news that Anglesey Lodge was on fire, we were all concerned about losing an historic building, so it’s great news that it can be saved.’
Following the blaze, a joint arson investigation was launched between Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hampshire Constabulary.
But following a lack of evidence, this investigation has since been filed.
However, fire damage isn’t the only problem that has put the building’s future in jeopardy.
Before any construction work can be done, the issue of asbestos will have to be tackled.
Cllr Hook said: ‘We are concerned about the amount of asbestos in the area, because the roof was partly made out of it.
‘The fire caused debris to go up into the air, and so we urge people to avoid breaking into the site to have a look around.
‘The clean-up operation will be huge, and it’s going to cost a lot to get it done properly too.’
A spokeswoman from Historic England added: ‘We were saddened to hear about the fire at the Grade II listed Anglesey Lodge and have reached out to the council to offer our support with next steps.’
Anyone with information about the fire should contact Hampshire Constabulary on 101, quoting the crime reference number 44200431804.