Original Cornwall St Austell Brewery building flats application

Tregonissey House in the centre of St Austell is a four-storey which was built by Walter Hicks, the founder of St Austell Brewery, in 1870.

It was used as a steam brewery at first but was used as residential, retail and a restaurant between the 1950s and 1980s. Since the 1980s it has been used for offices, most recently for solicitors.

Now new plans have been approved to change the use of the building so that it can be used for nine homes on the ground, first, second and third floors while the lower ground floor remains as offices.

A building on the site, which sits opposite the town church, can be seen on historical maps in 1813 and is known to have been the site of the London Inn.

A design and access statement submitted with the planning application to change the use of the building gives some of the history of the building.

It states: “Walter Hicks founded the St Austell Brewery in 1851 and built Tregonissey House as the company’s first steam brewery in 1870. By 1893 the brewery had outgrown the building and moved further out of town to the current site on Trevarthian Road.

“Tregonissey House sits at a crossing of the medieval radiating street pattern with the church at its centre. Original brick vaults are visible in the lower ground floor and original stone framed arched windows remain in good condition on the principal facade to Market Street.”

Turning to the plans to convert the building the statement explains: “Our design is rooted in the historic context and takes its cues from the existing building; circulation is simplified and grouped around the central lightwell and living spaces look towards the church and town. The existing stone facade, slate roof and timber windows are retained with minimal alterations to the building fabric to provide new high quality living and work spaces.

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“The lower ground floor will be reconfigured to provide office space and meeting rooms while retaining the connection to the streetscape. The shopfront on the corner will be repaired and redecorated.

“The residential occupants use a separate, more private entrance on Trevarthian Road. The existing entrance hall is enlarged and provides a safe, secure space for neighbours to meet, collect post and access the new lift and stairs.

"The units have been carefully designed to work with the existing structural grid and rooms are sized in relation to the existing arched windows facing Market Street. There are a mix of one and two bed units in the development.”

And it concludes: “Our proposal to refurbish Tregonissey House will deliver a vibrant mixed-use building in a key location in the centre of St Austell, bring vitality back to this important historic building and strengthen the community living and working in the town. The development will protect, conserve and enhance the historic building and be a positive contribution to the Conservation Area.”