THE former Williton Hospital and the remains of Chantry, at Kilve, are again on the English Heritage 'Buildings at Risk' list.

The annual register of the country's most important historic buildings threatened by neglect or decay was announced last week.

This year's register, launched by English Heritage chairman Sir Neil Cossons, totals 1,593 entries including 196 from the South West.

Among these is the early 14th century Kilve Chantry, in Sea Lane, which is a grade two-star listed scheduled ancient monument.

The register points out that the chantry was gutted by fire in the mid 19th century and lists its condition as 'poor'.

Williton Hospital, at one time a workhouse, was built in 1838-40 by George Gilbert Scott and William Moffat and has been empty for more than a decade.

It is now vandalised and open to all weathers, and the register states its condition as 'very bad'.

Williton Hospital is given higher priority for attention, being graded A, whereas Kilve Chantry is put at priority C.

At the launch, held at the start of Architecture Week, Sir Neil called for four particular steps to be taken:

l Recognition of the vast untapped potential of historic buildings for bringing about social and economic regeneration.

l More local authorities to compile their own registers of grade two listed buildings at risk.

l More and better-trained local authority conservation officers.

l Recycling more historic buildings at risk to reduce pressure on greenfield sites.

Sir Neil said that 85 per cent of the 1,000 buildings on the first at-risk register ten years ago had since been rescued from ruin.

But he added: "There is still much to be done. Almost half of today's ancient buildings and monuments at risk could be brought back into viable economic use if seed-corn funding could be found.

"The remainder need long-term stewardship if we are to save them for future generations to enjoy.

"Last year, English Heritage offered £5.7 million of grant aid towards 98 buildings on the register. But to save all the entries would take £400 million - far more than we can afford."

Sir Neil urged the Government to recognise the "enormous regeneration potential" of such an investment.

"The great buildings we have inherited are not just there to be admired in isolation as works of art. They are landmarks, very often at the hub of a community, giving a sense of place and identity and contributing to the fabric of society."

He said this was said to be "a throw-away society", yet a MORI poll found that 85 per cent of people believed in the importance of the historic environment.

And he said English Heritage could not act alone: "We identify buildings in danger, then we bring in key players, as well as funding, to secure a building's future.

"However we cannot do this alone.

"English Heritage has funded 25 conservation officers all over the country, but there are still too many local authorities which do not have anyone at all protecting their historic buildings."

He urged all local authorities to set up registers and follow the English Heritage "stop the rot strategy".

"Identifying problems early prevents deterioration, reduces the eventual cost of repairs and gains time for a permanent solution to be found," said Sir Neil.