On the 24th October 2004, several fires were started in the empty Nocton Hall.
Despite the valiant attempts of 70 fire-fighters, the main part of the house was destroyed,
leaving a smoking shell. Whilst investigations showed without doubt that it was arson, no-one was ever charged.
The hall and adjoining hospital are still owned by Leda Properties, and they still have plans
for the redevelopment of the site. But with a crumbling Grade II listed property (already extensively damaged
whilst under their ownership), problems with planning applications and objections from local residents, process
has been extremely slow.
With the credit crunch causing a massive slow-down of the house building programmes across the UK, it would seem
that Nocton Hall isn’t going to be redeveloped in the near future either.
This is a real shame. An enterprising individual could take on just the hall, living in the newly restored
annex (which doesn’t require too much work to make it habitable). From there, the more leisurely and time
consuming process of stabilising the walls of the manor house, replacing the floors, renewing the roof
and repairing the windows could be a worthwhile project and pull the hall back from the brink.
And as Lincolnshire Council beginning to make noises about the lack of progress from Leda Developments,
the hall might be put on the market again.
