By Lisa CleverdonA HERITAGE group's attempts to preserve one of the final reminders of a town's historic market connections have been scuppered.Earlier this year the Bury St Edmunds Society submitted an application to turn the town's Roundhouse - on the site of the former Cattle Market - into a listed building amid fears it would be lost when the site is redeveloped into a shopping centre.

By Lisa Cleverdon

A HERITAGE group's attempts to preserve one of the final reminders of a town's historic market connections have been scuppered.

Earlier this year the Bury St Edmunds Society submitted an application to turn the town's Roundhouse - on the site of the former Cattle Market - into a listed building amid fears it would be lost when the site is redeveloped into a shopping centre.

But society members said last night the request had been turned down by the Government after it was deemed the building was not historically important enough.

The wooden octagonal building is thought to have been constructed in the 1820s, when livestock sales moved to the St Andrew's Street site.

Fears for its future were prompted by the demolition of the nearby cattle sheds and auctioneers' house as part of the Cattle Market redevelopment.

Martin Lightfoot, society member, said: “We thought that if we could get the building listed then we could preserve it for the future.

“The Cattle Market was a big feature in the town and the Roundhouse is one of the few buildings left standing that serves to remind people of Bury's market history.”

Mr Lightfoot said he was now seeking assurance from St Edmundsbury Borough Council, which is behind the Cattle Market redevelopment, that a new home will be found for the building should it have to be moved.

“We are not against the Cattle Market scheme, but we just wanted to make sure the town does not lose its historical aspects. Bury is known as a historic market town and we want to keep it that way,” he added.

Since the plan to redevelop the Cattle Market was first announced the council has maintained the Roundhouse would be “reincorporated" into the design.

A council spokeswoman said a decision has not yet been taken on the future location of the Roundhouse.

But she added: “We will carefully dismantle the Roundhouse and put it into storage whilst we hold discussions with relevant groups in order to look at where is can be used in the future.”

lisa.cleverdon@eadt.co.uk