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Derelict mansion is a danger to children

This is part of a set of pages about Keep Hatch House.

[Originally published in The Wokingham Times, 6 March 1997. Written by Sarah Lawrence. Reproduced with permission.]

Developers are letting an historic Wokingham house become a death trap, claims a town councillor.

Town councillor James Stott says the once regal Keephatch House has been completely destroyed by vandals.

Landowners Leigh Estates are responsible for cordoning off the house — something Cllr Stott feels they are not adequately doing.

They are also behind the building of new homes in neighbouring Keephatch Park.

Cllr Stott said: "The whole house is a death trap. Floor boards have been ripped up with only the rafters remaining. A child could easily slip through.

"There is also a water tank listing at the top of the building — what if a child got in and was injured?"

Although a six foot barbed wire fence had been around the graffiti daubed house it has been pushed down in places, making the grounds easily accessible to children.

Planning applications for an extra 72 houses in the Keephatch Farm area have been received by Wokingham District Council which could exacerbate the problem further.

"There is barbed wire and razor wire all over the place and it is so dangerous to children," Cllr Stott said.

"What happens in the upcoming holidays when children are all over the place and when families move into these new houses?"

At Wokingham Town Council's planning committe last Thursday evening councillors called for the building to be bulldozed and replaced with "another sympathetic" building.

Keephatch House was built in 1871 by Colonel de Vitre on his return from India.

It was occupied until 10 years ago and has received planning permission to become a hotel and a nursing home since then.

Leigh Estates spokesman Craig Marx said that, rather than repair the fence which has been pushed down on numerous occasions, the windows of Keephatch House had recently been bricked up to prevent anyone from entering the building. This was at the request of Wokingham District Council.

He added: "We've had it secured but we are also aware that we have to find an alternative use for this site and we can't do anything until we come to a satisfactory agreement with Wokingham District Council. Our hands are tied."

Land adjoining the house, known as the 'Great Wood', is going to be opened up for dog lovers and walkers when the Keephatch Park estate has been built.