Many residents have been asking why the collapsed wall at The Talbot on Main Road is still unresolved, and whether anything is actually happening behind the scenes. The short answer is yes – but it’s taking far longer than anyone would reasonably expect.
The issue relates to a boundary wall at the rear of The Talbot public house, a Grade II listed building. Over time, the wall deteriorated badly due to a combination of invasive ivy growth and historic tree root damage. Eventually, it became unsafe and had to be demolished.
Because the Talbot is a listed building, the wall couldn’t simply be rebuilt immediately. Listed Building Consent was required, supported by detailed plans, a heritage statement and a design and access statement. That application was submitted in November last year and is still working its way through the system.
What’s perhaps been missing from the wider conversation is that the neighbours most directly affected are not objecting – quite the opposite.
One neighbouring household, whose garden directly backs onto the site, described the condition of the original wall in stark terms. They said:
“I was the person who initially raised serious safety concerns, as the original wall was so badly damaged beyond all repair by excessive and damaging plants, predominantly ivy. The wall was leaning badly towards our garden and garage.”
They went on to explain just how compromised the structure had become:
“The bricks and mortar had been so severely damaged that once the wall was demolished it was clear it was beyond repair. The mortar had almost entirely been eaten away and large sections of each brick had essentially turned to dust.”
That neighbour made their position very clear:
“We fully support the application to replace this with a new brick wall of the same height – and we would like this done as soon as possible.”
Another neighbouring resident also raised no objection, but asked for reassurance that the remaining sections of wall would be properly repaired as part of the works. They commented:
“We support the rebuild of the boundary wall, but would ask that the section forming our boundary is properly made good and repointed, as the ingress of ivy has eroded the pointing and could affect stability if left as it is.”
Even Kempsey Parish Council raised no objection to the proposal, provided the rebuilt wall matches the original brick bond.
So there’s no dispute about whether the wall should be rebuilt. There’s no local opposition. There’s no argument about safety. Everyone involved agrees the work is necessary and should be done sympathetically.
The frustration comes from the time it’s taking.
Listed building applications are subject to additional scrutiny, and even relatively modest repairs can take months. From a resident’s point of view, though, that doesn’t make a temporary fence, an exposed boundary and a half-finished job any easier to live with.
The plans are in. The support is there. What’s missing is momentum.
We’ll continue to follow the application and update residents when there’s progress, but for now this remains another example of how straightforward, safety-led repairs can become drawn-out affairs once heritage process and planning timelines take over.