Cabinet to consider extra £200k for historic site

A Surrey council's cabinet is set to meet to consider putting an extra £200,000 towards repairing a historic building.

Mole Valley District Council's (MVDC) cabinet is meeting at 19:00 BST on Tuesday to discuss the money for Pippbrook House near Dorking, which would be used for ongoing repairs.

In November 2023, MVDC allocated £1.4m for the work on the Grade II-listed building.

Councillors are now being asked to release the latest money for what the authority says are "critical" repairs to the first floor and ground floor west wing window lintels, which have water damage.

The report says the repairs could lead to two of the house's rooms being brought back into use, but if they are not carried out now, future restoration could be more expensive.

The council initially hoped to spend £3.1m on the building, but had to scale back the budget when it was unable to find grant funding.

Nick Wright, MVDC's cabinet member for leisure and community assets, said: "Pippbrook House is not only a beautiful heritage asset, but it also has the potential as a valuable hub for cultural and community activities.

"The works to date have been transformative and progress has been followed with great anticipation."

Work to weatherproof the roof of the building, which was built between 1856 and 1858, has been ongoing since 2024.

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.