English Heritage accused of 'wasting public money'

English Heritage is to spend more than £260,000 on emergency repairs on one of South Devon's most important listed buildings - just days before it is to be turned into a complex of private houses, apartment and offices.

Developer Devington Partnerships was granted planning permission at the start of the month to begin work on the former mental hospital at Exminster on 17 October.

However, culture secretary Chris Smith ordered the repairs earlier this year to prevent the Grade II listed building from falling further into decay.

Lawrence Butler, Devington managing director, said: "It's an absolutely ludicrous waste of public money. They are doing nothing to make the building more useable, they are blocking up windows with concrete blocks and putting temporary roof coverings over the existing covering.

"If they were putting a proper roof on or putting proper windows in I wouldn't object. But, as they are putting the last nail in on 16 October and we move in on 17 October and will start taking it apart at the other end of the building, it is crazy. They could have used the money on saving lots of listed buildings."

A spokesperson for English Heritage confirmed that planning permission was granted on 2 August.

However, she added EH had not yet received formal notification not only for planning permission but also the necessary building consent and the completion of purchase. Until the property belongs officially to Devington, the schedule for the necessary repairs will remain, she said.