PERMISSION is being sought for a disabled ramp to be built at the main entrance of an historic building in the centre of St Austell.

NatWest Bank wants to construct the ramp outside “the Red Bank” in Church Street and is seeking approval from Cornwall Council.

The grade II listed building was designed by Silvanus Trevail, hailed as the most famous Cornish architect of the 19th century.

The Red Bank is said to be a great example of the use of red brick in his buildings.

Experts describe the NatWest branch as a large Queen Anne-style four-storeyed bank building occupying a prominent location in the centre of the town.

The triple-fronted structure is constructed with red brick although the detailing utilises terracotta.

The building was completed in 1898 for Messrs Coode, Shilson and Co, a private bank established in St Austell.

The Red Bank was built to be the firm’s main office and the ground and first floors have hosted banking facilities since its construction but, in 1993, the second and third floors were converted to residential use.

NatWest says that, despite the building being designed originally as a bank, the two steps to access the ground floor make it not fit for purpose anymore.

The aim of the proposed scheme is to provide a ramp taking advantage of an existing slope so the impact on the general appearance of the building is minimal.

The scheme involves an adjustment to the existing main entrance door level and the removal or relocation of items of street furniture.

In a statement to the council, the bank says: “The branch occupies a prominent corner plot in the St Austell conservation area… The external ramp will be clad in granite to match existing pavement furniture and surfaces and minimise the impact to the front elevation of the building.”