Robert White unable to sell Castle Lodge after staff decide to home work

Potential buyers have shown little interest in the Grade II listed Castle Lodge, that sits snugly beside the Museum of Somerset on Taunton's Castle Green.

The owner, Robert White, put it on the market for £350,000 when employees at his Durell software writing company plumped to continue working from home.

One of the offices in Castle Lodge before lockdown.

Mr White said his attempts to secure a change of use permission from office to residential to make a sale more likely has been thwarted by Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT).

"People are moving out of offices," said Mr White, the grandson of legendary Somerset and England cricket captain 'Farmer' Jack White.

"My own staff have been using this office since 2009.

The boardroom.

"Then the pandemic came and everybody started working from home.

"Now they don't want to come back to the office. They want to work from home.

"I've now got an empty building that I can't sell.

"The building has been largely empty since the beginning of the pandemic and is already beginning to suffer from neglect, and could well be subject to vandalism."

SWT has put scores of building application projects on hold after Natural England raised fears that certain developments could increase pollution on the Somerset Levels and Moors by discharging "unacceptable levels of phosphates".

Castle Lodge garden.

Mr White, whose company previously wrote computer games such as Harrier Attack and Saboteur, added: "Many other businesses no doubt feel much the same (about homeworking), so there is no point in my wife and me trying to sell Castle Lodge for commercial use, though SWT’s planning policy requires any such building to be marketed for a year-or so in its current state before it is permitted 'change of use' (i.e. to residential).

"This instance of 'one policy fits all' would normally be entirely reasonable, because no-one wants to lose local employment.

"However I believe this policy should not be applied to Grade II listed buildings like mine."

Mr White argues that Castle Lodge was originally a house; there would be no loss of employment as his staff would be working from home; and planning policy should reflect the changing world.

He added that the council has a duty of care to preserve listed buildings.

The second floor before renovation in 2009.

"Grade II listed buildings currently designated as offices but originally built for residential use, should be allowed to revert to this," said Mr White.

"Phosphate increases and job losses are hardly likely to be significant, whereas the preservation of such buildings is essential, especially as this gives them the opportunity to revert to their original and intended use."

Castle Lodge was originally bought by Mr White's father-in-law in the late 1960s, when he converted it into offices for his quantity surveying business after winning approval for office use.

An SWT spokesperson said the county’s district councils have asked the Government to help address the issue to unlock housing development.

They added: “The council leaders are requesting that the Government works proactively with the Somerset authorities to deliver a clear investment strategy to address water quality issues impacting the Somerset Levels and Moors.”

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