Summit held to discuss future of Bass Maltings

A summit has been held as part of a "serious attempt" to find a use for the derelict Bass Maltings complex in Sleaford.

The site of the Grade II*-listed buildings was closed in 2000 and previous attempts to regenerate it have failed.

North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) said a meeting between central government and local organisations took place earlier this week to discuss the potential for repurposing.

Richard Wright, the leader of the council, said: "It's going to take an awful lot of money, an awful lot of time, and some imagination on what can be done with the building."

NKDC said the meeting was held on 7 September following renewed discussions after Bass Maltings was included in Historic England's Heritage Investment Prospectus in May.

The authority said the Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government organised a visit to the site in August.

NKDC said more than 30 people from heritage organisations and national and local government bodies attended the meeting along with the owners of the building.

Wright said: "This is the first time that we've had that many interested parties involved."

The complex was completed in 1907. It was a traditional floor maltings where barley was converted into malt for brewing, but which became redundant after Bass Brewery installed an automated system at Burton-on-Trent.

The site ceased operations in 1959 and the largest group of malt houses in England has never been fully occupied since Bass left. It has been on Historic England's Heritage at Risk register since 2011.

Wright said no specific avenues have been explored yet, but the consensus at the meeting was that redevelopment was "not impossible".

"Sleaford is intrinsically linked to the Maltings, so we need to make sure that both can keep moving forward.

"Improvements in the economy for Sleaford are linked to the economy for the Maltings, and vice versa," he said.

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