Discussions have been going on for two years with Isle of Wight council to try and secure the future of the Hammerhead Crane in Cowes.
Not only is the Crane Grade 2* listed, making it in the top 7% of all listed buildings in the UK, but it’s the only surviving example in England.
Important structure
“It’s in the premier league as far as industrial heritage is concerned,” Dr Andrew Brown, regional director of English Heritage, described it as to VentnorBlog yesterday, as we bobbed around in the Medina under the crane.
For years the Cowes Hammerhead Crane Trust has been working hard to secure its future, the problem is that while the discussions of the future of the Crane is going on, urgent repairs are required now. It’s this the council aren’t acting on.
“On its last legs”
“It’s literally on its last legs”, Andrew told us. Despite the Crane’s legs looking sturdy to the untrained eye, he explained that, “the metal is starting to show signs of its age.”
What’s needed is for the council to serve an Urgent Work Notice on the owner of the site, Peter Harrison.
English Heritage: Happy to underwrite costs
The Cowes Hammerhead Crane Trust have been working with English Heritage and have secured the monies needed to carry both the serving of the Notice and the work to the Crane as well.
As Andrew told VB, “English Heritage is very happy, if necessary to underwrite almost all of the costs of the exposure, so it’s a tiny risk for the council.”
Of course, the longer the council leaves it, the more expensive it will become to repair this Nationally important structure.
Leaving it will cost more money
Let’s hope this attention focuses the council’s minds and something proper gets done about it.
Have a listen to the interview we did with Dr Andrew to get further details. [audio:http://otw-audio.s3.amazonaws.com/cowes-hammerhead-crane-andrew-brown-english-heritage.mp3]
The BBC were there on the boat too yesterday, so expect to see it on South Today tonight.
