CAMPAIGNERS battling to save an historic pottery have called on the builder to stop after a petition to prevent it being turned in housing got nearly 3,000 signatures.

Professional potter Russell Akerman has sent an open letter to developer Neil Le-Sage, of Stoneswood Developments Ltd, calling for a halt to development at the 19th century Wetheriggs Pottery and surrounding land, in the hamlet of Clifton Dykes, near Penrith - the site had closed in 2008 and had included a zoo.

A petition launched on February 3 has so far got nearly 2,978 signatures from outraged residents after Eden District Council approved proposals for the site to be converted into five homes at the end of January.

In the letter Russell said: "We appreciate that you have invested a significant amount of time and money on your proposed plans to redevelop Wetheriggs Pottery into luxury housing but feel strongly that we must bring to your attention the historical importance of this site and ask that you please reconsider undertaking this building project.

"Although when you purchased Wetheriggs it would be natural for you to have investigated some of its history it would not be as natural for you to know the full depth of it’s cultural connections and significance to the wider community.

"As you kindly gestured recently that ‘you would be open to alternative plans for the site, including reopening it as a pottery’, we have put together a few ideas, initial thumbnail sketches and possibilities for the future of Wetheriggs Pottery.

"As an alternative to redeveloping Wetheriggs Pottery into luxury housing we are confident that Wetheriggs could once again become a premier Lake District visitor attraction combining Heritage Centre, Nature Reserve and Pottery Teaching Hub.

"With the right guidance Wetheriggs Pottery has so much potential for the community, its position on the edge of the Lake District, proximity to a large Centre Parks holiday village and accessibility to the M6 motorway make it within easy reach to large numbers of visitors for both days out and for attending pottery day courses or evening classes.

"Perhaps instead of luxury housing, ‘live-work’ units for artisans could be constructed and sensitively located on site? These resident craftspeople would add another creative dimension to Wetheriggs, possibly offering classes and teaching their crafts in the existing modern buildings on site, which were purpose built for this activity. There was also a cafe / restaurant at Wetheriggs which was popular with visitors seeking refreshment, this could be reopened creating employment, especially for young people and making a superb small business for somebody local to run.

"The pottery heritage centre and steam engine could be staffed mainly by volunteers, as would the wildlife reserve, this would be a great way to build community support around Wetheriggs and would enable local people to feel connected to the site by contributing to it in a meaningful way. Volunteer work would also enable Wetheriggs to operate very economically and thereby lessen its vulnerability to outside economic shocks.

"The historic working pottery, steam engine and wildlife reserve with its Great Crested Newts, would also make fantastic day trips out for those with disabilities, learning difficulties and local school children.

"It might be an idea for Wetheriggs Pottery to be operated as a combination of private investment and charitable trust? The trust would naturally have responsibility for the historic pottery and nature reserve and the ‘live-work’ units could be leasehold, as would the cafe / restaurant, paying rent to a private landlord or trust. Pottery classes are now in great demand and given both Wetheriggs proximity to the Lake district, access to transport links and its historic importance these classes would generate a good regular income for the site. A significant amount of income would also come from charging a small admission fee to Wetheriggs, as was done in the past.

"Wetheriggs Pottery is a unique site which has so much potential for teaching about our heritage and for learning about the history of pottery making, which for the sake of the community, should again become a visitor attraction similar to Beamish Museum, Ironbrige Gorge Museums, Gladstone Pottery Museum or Middleport Pottery. If something like the above was brought into being the natural owners, or part owners, would possibly be an organisation such as one of the above or The National Trust, English Heritage or perhaps even a newly formed Wetheriggs Pottery Trust?

"The question which naturally arises is; If Wetheriggs Pottery is such a good business proposition, why then has it ended up empty and unloved? In its recent history there was a series of unfortunate outside events which befell the pottery. After being lovingly restored, and with new machinery in place, things were going well until that fateful time at the end of the 1980’s when commercial borrowing rates soared to crippling levels.

"Wetheriggs, like many business's, struggled to survive.

It was then sold to a larger company from Stoke on Trent which invested considerable capital in new buildings and even contracted Fred Dibnah in1995 to restore much of the machinery to its former glory."

In response developer Neil Le-Sage said: "I have read through your open letter and it is clear to see your passion for Wetheriggs pottery.

"I too believe that it is a beautiful building, in lovely area, with a wealth of history which needs to be preserved.

"The building is currently in a sorry state of repair which has deteriorated significantly since it was abandoned many years ago. Indeed the officer for Historic England seemed genuinely shocked at the change since his previous visit.

I agree that there could be a number of uses for the historic buildings, including a café and visitor attraction.

"But are these genuine business ideas with appropriate viability studies? Have business plans been put together showing the considerable profit required to sympathetically restore the building to its former state? There was a holiday scheme for 26 cottages approved with communal areas and a pool, it was up for sale for a couple of years and nobody could make it work.

"It’s not as if this has just become available, it’s been derelict for a long time and no one has showed any interest, any business plans where quickly considered unworkable and the building has subsequently been left to ruin.

"For anything to happen on the site it needs to be economically viable and in my opinion sympathetic residential housing is the only thing that works.

"If the objectors feel they have a different use for the buildings then I’m happy to sell them the 1 acre plot containing all of the listed buildings, circa 4500 ft sq.

"It has its own entrance from the road and subject to the appropriate planning and historic buildings consent, could lend its self to being a café or visitor centre. However, I think they will find upon closer investigation that this approach is simply not viable.

"Perhaps with philanthropy and charity it could be done but these things are difficult to sustain and with this approach there would always be the worry that it would get abandoned again.

"Our proposal for one large residential property on the listed element of the site secures the building for the next 100+ years, there is a 200 page repairs schedule ensuring that the building is done correctly and sympathetically.

"There will also be a heritage officer overseeing the renovation and working with the contractor.

"The engine room will be made available to the public every year, with a display showing the history of the site.

"The local planners, the local heritage officers and historic England all believe that this is a good compromise to secure the future existence and longevity of an important local building."

To sign the petition go to Save Wetheriggs Pottery on the change.org website.