Bury St Edmunds wedding venue St Andrew’s Castle gazebo plans win West Suffolk Council approval

A Bury St Edmunds ‘castle’ could soon have an improved wedding offering after plans were approved.

Former convent St Andrew’s Castle, off St Andrew’s Street South, is set to be updated and enhanced under the new scheme.

William Mothersole, of GR Developments Ltd, had asked West Suffolk Council permission to build brick and stone entrance piers and walls, renovate hard and soft landscaping, install a metal-framed gazebo and paved pathway and 1.2m tall decorative fencing, along with a bin store.

A design, access and heritage statement submitted to planners said: “There is certainly an emerging market for smaller scale weddings and this in-town location makes it a very sustainable option.

“Our proposals will tidy up the rather informal parking arrangement with improved surfacing and marking out of car spaces.”

The scheme includes a Victorian-style gazebo in the centre of the outside space to ‘give it an attractive focus and provide a setting for outside weddings’.

St Andrew’s Castle is a Grade II*-listed property, bordered by three listed buildings, a listed wall and the former St Louis School site, which is undergoing redevelopment.

The statement added: “In the courtyard to the rear we will be upgrading this with a new hard and soft landscaping scheme with a small self-supporting loggia at one end, which again will give it an improved visual focus in what is currently a rather unattractive yard.

“While the proposed changes are not major works, we believe these are important ‘fine tuning’ to the setting of the building which will enhance the surroundings and just as importantly, improve the offer that the building has to the users and wider public.”

There were no objections and the plans were approved.

Amy Yuill, planning officer, noted: “The proposed works are modest additions and alterations which are considered to make a positive contribution to the character of the site and both individually and collectively, would enhance the setting of the listed building.”