Plans to transform the unused Assize Court into the Wiltshire Museum gain community and council backing.
The plan is years in the making and would turn the place into the Wiltshire Museum. The site is unused right now. Wiltshire Council is looking at the plan.
The community really supports it, and many locals have shown their support. Donna Chadwick thinks it will help Devizes and raise awareness of Wiltshire history. Diana Wethered also supports the plan fully.
She is part of the Avebury Society. The Devizes Town Council supports the development, and they talked about it at a meeting where councillors reacted positively to it.
Iain Wallis said the meeting went well. Albert Woolridge thinks it’s great for Devizes. The Assize Court has been empty since the 1980s. It’s in bad shape because of this.
The building is at risk, according to Historic England. Historic England supports making it a museum, but they want design changes to protect its heritage.
The court is a listed building and is falling apart because it’s vacant. The roofs leak and the interior is stripped. Historic England generally supports the scheme and want it to be a community asset.
Suggested changes include reworking the cafe plans, as this would affect the old court buildings. You can comment during the council consultation, which ends on February 13th.