The new owner of an historic building in the centre of Highbridge has been discussing their plans for the property this week after sold for over £200,000 in September.
Bradbury House in Market Street was formerly home to Lloyds Bank and more recently has been the HQ for the National Blind Children’s Society until it moved out in August.
The prominent property has been sold to the Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium, which is moving from its nearby premises in Market Street.
“The Consortium Boards recently secured the purchase of Bradbury House,” said a spokeswoman for the consortium.
“The deal which was struck with the Society prior to auction will allow the Drainage Boards to close their existing two offices on the same street and relocate all staff to Bradbury House.”
“This will reduce costs and improve efficiency of the operation. The move will not occur immediately as the building will need to undergo some repairs and modification to suit the work of the Board.”
One of the benefits of the move is that the Axe Brue and Parrett Drainage Boards will be able to hold nearly all of their meetings at the new offices, which have full disabled access.
The Somerset Drainage Boards Consortium comprises two internal drainage boards, the Axe Brue and the Parrett Drainage Board. The Boards provide the vital services of drainage and irrigation to 136,000 acres (55,000 ha) of the Somerset Levels and Moors.
The Somerset Consortium of Drainage Boards is responsible for land drainage and flood risk on 55,000 hectares of land in Somerset, much of it below sea level, which includes some 22,000 businesses and properties. It maintains a network of 1,200 km of rhynes and watercourses, but is not responsible for the main rivers, which are the preserve of the Environment Agency.
Members of the public are able to attend most meetings of the Boards and their sub-committees, the dates of which are shown on the Consortium website.
