Colchester Counci urged to buy old Abro site to boost Roman Circus

The MoD is set to put the former Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) site, in Flagstaff Road, up for sale early next year.

Colchester Council's Local Plan committee has agreed to extend the conservation area surrounding the town's garrison to include the ABRO site as well as Roman Circus House, home of Colchester Archaelogical Trust and Britain's only known Roman Circus.

A development brief is also being created to help shape any future plans for the ABRO site, which is set to go out to consultation next year.

Addressing the committee, councillor Mark Goacher (Green, Castle), who is a history teacher at Colchester Sixth Form College, said the authority should investigate buying the site.

Investment - Mark Goacher said the council should investigate buying the ABRO site

He said: "The Roman Circus is something we need to celebrating. We need to be making the most of it.

"It would be great if the council buy the ABRO site when it goes up for sale.

"Obviously I am well aware of the financial situation we are in and the fact the price might be too high.

"But it would be great if there was a possibly of doing it."

He added: "We need to protect it from overdevelopment and preserves as much of the site as we can."

Committee member Andrew Ellis (Cons, Marks Tey and Layer) backed Mr Goacher's idea.

"I think it is something which should be looked at, I'm not saying we are going to be able to do it, but certainly it is something which should be explored," he said.

Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell endorsed the plan to extend the conservation area, saying the Roman Circus was a "woefully under-utilised tourist attraction".

Pleased - Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell said the conservation area extension was good news

He said: "Including the area in the conservation area is an important indication that, 16 years after it was discovered, perhaps the Roman Circus is to be given the tourist potential attention it warrants because of its national and international importance."

The council's culture and performance boss Julie Young said extending the conservation are was the first step towards better utilising the Roman Circus.

She said: "The whole purpose of what you have before you in terms of extending the conservation area and the masterplan development brief is all about putting heritage of the heart of what we do on that site."

The committee unanimously backed plans to extend the conservation area.