Devizes brewery site to become housing complex

Parts of an iconic brewery site could be repurposed into housing.

Family-run Wadworth and Co brewery will relocate from their current premises in Devizes, Wiltshire next year.

If planning permission is granted, Wiltshire developers Backhouse will build 100 new homes at the Northgate Street site.

While preserving the Grade II listed brewery tower, their plans include public open spaces and a retail unit.

While the warehouse, packing yard and stables has been earmarked for development, Wadworth will keep the main Victorian building although it is not known what they will do with it.

Pedestrian connectivity routes and access to the nearby canal side will also be included.

Brewing beer in the town since 1875, in addition to their family brewery, Wadworth and Co operate in excess of 150 pubs across the South and West of England.

After outgrowing their original brewery, they moved to the larger premises, the Northgate brewery, in 1885.

In a bid to be more sustainable and cater to the changing beer market, the family-run beer producers will next year move to a new modern site off London Road, 1.7 miles (2.7km) from their current home.

Wadworth's chief engineer, Stuart Sinden, told BBC Radio Wiltshire the biggest difference with their site is the "environmental credentials".

"The water and beer travels less," he said.

"The pumps and systems we use here [at their new site] are far more energy efficient."

When asked if they ever considered leaving the town that has homed them for the last 147 years, Mr Sinden said while they looked at different sites, they "wanted to stay here in Devizes."

"We're here for the long term," he added.

On their plans, director of Backhouse, Stuart Walter, said: "What we really want is to bring this part of Devizes into a thriving development full of new homes and some commercial space which will make this space part of the town centre again."

Mr Walter said pre-permission plans had already been submitted to Wiltshire Council and a public consultation is underway.

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