History fight to save farm

By Peter Bibby

THE threatened farmhouse at the centre of an eviction row will be visited by historic buildings inspectors this weekend to see if it is worth saving from demolition.

Officials from the Welsh historic monuments body, Cadw, confirmed today they are considering an appeal to ask the Secretary of State for Wales to protect Great House Farm, Llandough, near Cardiff, as a listed building.

The family of farmer Billy Buckler, evicted from the farmhouse by BP bailiffs earlier this week, called in Cadw in a last-ditch bid to save their old home. Mr Buckler’s family have been fighting a 33-year legal battle to prove they own the old farmhouse, parts of which could date back to the 12th Century.

[Injunction] But after Law Lords appeal judges ruled in favour of BP Properties this year, the bailiffs moved in. Mr Buckler, a 39-year-old father of three, has been in Llandough Hospital since his eviction on Wednesday.

BP said they intend to demolish the farmhouse and outbuildings on the 10-acre site overlooking Cardiff Bay and put in for planning permission to build new homes.

The family [state] that within hours of forcing their way in to their house, the bailiffs had begun the demolition work and a High Court judge issued an interim injunction ordering that the farmhouse and its contents must not be touched.

A spokeswoman for Cadw confirmed they were considering “spot-listing” the farmhouse, an emergency procedure in which any building which may be of architectural or historical importance can be protected. She said: “An inspector has been taken off another case to look at this and we are trying to move as quickly as possible.”

[Razed] “He will be paying a visit to the farmhouse, look at any records of the history of the area and discuss it with the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historical Monuments.”

But Cadw may have act fast. On Monday the High Court are to consider the case for saving Great House Farm, and if the Bucklers fail to have the order extended, the farmhouse could be razed to the ground within days.