Council considers selling off 13th Century manor

A 13th Century manor house and a shopping centre are among a host of properties which could be sold to help a cash-strapped council balance its books.

Medway Council looks poised to offload 30 of its own assets to help scale down its costly maintenance spend on buildings and reduce its predicted budget overspend.

The authority is set to consider recommendations to sell off properties including Temple Manor, a listed manor house in Strood, Gillingham Business Park, and Rainham District Shopping Centre.

English Heritage, which is responsible for Temple Manor, said it is a "highly significant, historic building and is protected in law as an ancient monument".

Temple Manor was built around 1240 by the Knights Templar to provide lodging for dignitaries travelling between Dover and London.

It is currently owned by Medway Council with English Heritage overseeing it due to its age and significance.

A spokesperson said: “English Heritage is – and will remain – responsible for its management and care regardless of the ownership of the freehold.”

Other properties included on the list for potential sale are an indoor bowls club in Gillingham and a social club in Rochester.

It’s hoped the move will reduce the authority’s maintenance spend on properties it owns and bring down the overall predicted overspend of the council – which was predicted to be £16.5m in July, according to Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Since 2018, Medway Council has sold 47 properties and raised £12.6m.

It closed the visitor centre in Rochester in April and cancelled the summer Dickens Festival as a cost-cutting measure.

Councillor Michael Pearce, an independent, has started an online petition for the National Trust or English Heritage to purchase Temple Manor if the authority do decide to sell it.

Recommendations from the regeneration, culture and environment committee will be considered by full cabinet on 29 October.

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