I read Roger Davis’s letter concerning the sad state of the Assize Courts (Gazette, July 24).

Unfortunately, the building’s future looks very precarious. I understand that in May 2013, planning permission was granted for 18 luxury flats and a community space. Since then, nothing has been done.

The appropriateness of the plans to develop luxury flats in the Assize Courts will be affected by the county council’s decision to give Devizes Canoe Club a public building, currently occupied by the traffic wardens, rent-free, lease-free and in perpetuity under the Community Asset Transfer introduced by the coalition government.

The building and large car park is situated at Lower Wharf. It is at the rear of the Assize courthouse and is reached via Lower Wharf, a narrow, privately-owned road.

Wadworth owns half of the road and has given its half to the canoe club. The canoe club has made an application, case 14/05287/Ful, to place a locked barrier across the road gifted to them by Wadworth, thus impeding the movement of local residents and a local business.

It is not possible to reverse a vehicle and drivers have to back out onto Northgate Street.

The plans indicate that the entrance to the flats will be placed at the side of the building on Lower Wharf road. The side entrance to Cyprus Terrace and a small block of flats for the elderly back onto this narrow road. Residents, boaters who pay for permanent moorings, Merritt’s and the agent for the Assize Courts have not been involved in the consultation process regarding the canoe club’s planning application. Anstie Court, the new properties that occupy the old gas works on Devizes Wharf, have just learned of the plans.

I emailed Mr Hannerbury, agent for the foreign owner of the Assize Courts, and advised him of the planning application. The following day he visited the site, along with builders from Gaigers and council officers.

It is not feasible that, given the canoe club’s plans, a prospective buyer of a luxury flat would wish to have a constant stream of cars, bicycles, pedestrians and canoe transporters entering and exiting Lower Wharf road. I have contacted several councillors who have expressed concerns over the fate of the Assize Courts. They all support the Devizes Canoe Club application.

For the community in Devizes it is lose-lose situation. A lovely building will probably be lost and the community loses a publicly-owned property to a small elitist canoe club. If the building is surplus to the council’s use, it should have been sold and the money achieved invested in our declining services. The council’s choice of priorities are very difficult to fathom.

Carol Krebs, Lower Wharf, Devizes.