Hopes for Long Stratton Ice House’ future

Hopes have been raised an historic Long Stratton landmark could be restored.

South Norfolk District Councillor Terry Blowfield told a Long Stratton Parish Council meeting yesterday staff at the district council knew the name of the owner of the Grade II listed Ice House and would be trying to trace him.

The prominent landmark, visible to passing traffic on the A140, collapsed in December after the 200-year-old structure finally succumbed to the cold winter weather.

Since then, both councils had tried to track down the owner without success after deciding not to take on responsibility for the rebuilding work due to cost and the restoration was unlikely to resemble the original structure as the bricks could not be re-used.

Mr Blowfield, who represents Long Stratton, Tharston, Hapton and Wacton, said: 'It is a landmark and it would be nice to have it rebuilt, but it will have to be rebuilt using modern brickwork.

'I think if an owner can be found then that person would have a responsibiliity to the Ice House and can do something about it.'

Parish council chairman Andrew Lansdell said an advert had been placed in the village newsletter inviting people to form a trust to restore the landmark, but only two people had written to the council expressing an interest.

The Ice House had been placed on Norfolk's historic buildings at risk register because it had fallen into such poor condition.

Police investigating the cause believed the collapse was due to frost damage and not vandalism, although vandals had targeted the building in the past.

Parish councillors had been looking into the possibility of asking South Norfolk Council to make a compulsory purchase order on the site and ask if funding was available for the restoration.