The Strutt family’s most prestigious model farm, converted from a coaching inn early in the 19th century, Crossroads Farm is a large 30-room building with unique surviving Strutt features, including iron-framed out-buildings. A change of tenant for the farmhouse took place last year, and it has been indicated informally by the Strutt Estate agent that a sale of the site may happen in 2018 when all leases expire.
This remarkable property, on the open market, may prove vulnerable to development pressures which could see the house and outbuildings broken into smaller units. A number of local groups have informally expressed an interest in its future, and the possibility of it becoming a multi-user site which could benefit the local economy, including but not exclusive to tourism.
A Conservation Plan leading to a Supplementary Planning Document would hopefully ensure an appropriate future for the farm site, in keeping with its status as an important Attribute contributing to the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site.
This building has now been added to the HLF funded case study list and we are working towards implementing measures which will prevent the buildings loss of significance that may occur when it becomes available again in 2018.