The Preservation of The Brunel Atmospheric Pumping House

 In June 1979, after a campaign by The Brunel Tower Action Group, who were based in Starcross, an application against a decision to refuse demolishment of Starcross's  Brunel Atmospheric Tower and Pumping Station was withdrawn

Here's the link on the Teignbridge Planning website

79/00141/LBC | Demolition of building (appeal withdrawn) | Brunel Atmospheric Tower And Pumping Station (teignbridge.gov.uk)

The building was saved by Mr and Mrs Dick Forester, who moved into the derelict site with their family. They opened it as a museum about Brunel's Atmospheric Railway. 

The Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club  are now the proud owners of the tower, and they are anxious to preserve it. They acquired some old red sandstone which they had hoped to use to restore and preserve the tower, which Brunel built using local red sandstone from a now closed quarry. Sandstone has proved to be prone to weathering, 

Planning permission was granted in 2009 for remedial work on the wall alongside the A379. The work was not allowed to be other than render. The result is a pink wall that doesn't blend in with the original red sandstone.

The rendered wall
next to original
red sandstone 

The original red sandstone
at the entrance to
The Brunel Tower 

The rendered wall adjacent to
original sandstone wall

 English Heritage had no objections to this. Here's the link to the planning application, which was given "Conservation LBC   LBD   Approval" 

Application for remedial work to the walls

The 2022 planning application by The Starcross Fishing and Cruising Club, for repairs and rendering to the stonework has been withdrawn. Documents associated with this planning application include a forthright letter from " The Victorian Society (Listed Building Society) " 

The Victorian Society  object to the proposal and want it to be withdrawn  so that a new application can have the input of  a stone conservation specialist. Their letter can be viewed in the associated documents on this link

Link to the withdrawn planning application f or remedial work to the crumbling walls