ONE OF east Reading’s historic buildings has been fenced off following concerns about the masonry.
Cemetery Junction has recently seen fences erected around the gatehouse arch at the entrance after members of a group seeking to protect the arch raised concerns.
The Junction Arch Heritage and Arts (JAHA) project has advocated for the use of the archway building for community and arts projects.
It has been unused for more than a decade, but funding is needed for expensive repairs which need to be done to bring the building up to safety standards, including the delicate stonework surrounding it.
These would also include refurbishing the interior and resurfacing on some of the paths in the cemetery.
The future of the arch is still undecided as the extent of work that needs to be undertaken on the building has not been fully explained.
A spokesperson for Reading Borough Council said: “In July 2021 the Council agreed to offer local arts group Junction Heritage and Arts an opportunity to develop its ambitions for Reading’s Cemetery Arch for community heritage and arts hub.
“An initial 18-month agreement was made with JAHA while the group worked to attract the necessary grant funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund in order to restore the Grade II listed structure.”
They explained: “The Council has now asked the group to confirm it is eligible for the funding it was hoping to attract by the end of June. In the meantime, our position remains that JAHA’s proposal would provide economic, community and social wellbeing benefits for the town.
“Whilst continuing to work with JAHA on its aspirations, the Council has continued to monitor the arch in the interim.
“Structural engineers commissioned by the Council have advised that there is a low risk of some stonework falling.”
They continued: “Public safety is our priority and, as a precaution, temporary fencing has been erected around the structure pending any necessary repairs.
“Public access remains open and a side gate has been opened to ensure continued safe access for visitors.”
JAHA’s Nick Cooksey said: “It’s very sad to see this much loved local icon surrounded by safety fencing.
“JAHA was set up in 2019 with the aim of restoring the Grade II listed Arch and opening it up to the community.
“Since the council made its original offer in 2021, the condition of the building has deteriorated significantly, which has meant our plans have had to evolve.
“However we are as committed as ever to becoming its custodians and raising the funds needed to save the iconic structure and bring it into community use.”
They explained: “In October 2023, we commissioned A F Jones Stonemasons to carry out a survey of the stonework to help us gauge how much we will need to raise to repair it. This brought up serious concerns.
“We shared the results with Reading Borough Council, who then arranged their own investigations.
“They confirmed the risk to public safety that A F Jones raised, hence the decision to put up fencing around the Arch and open the side gate.
“We are confident that our forthcoming grant application will be successful and look forward to finally seeing work to restore the Arch underway.”
