Battle council applies for £600K loan for Almonry repairs

At their December meeting, councillors discussed the state of the building, which they said is in need of major repair.

The council said the repairs, together with a plan for refurbishment and redevelopment, have been integral to the Finance & General Purposes Committee’s action plan since 2015.

Planning approval has been granted to extend the Almonry by reinstating the original wing over the courtyard and reconfiguring the internal space, returning the main area to an open hall.

Following a consultation, an application was made to the Heritage Lottery Fund to fund the works to enable the creation of a Heritage Education and Tourist Information Centre within the Almonry.

But the application was unsuccessful, so the cost of the necessary repairs, plus the improvements to enable full accessibility and increased use of the beautiful medieval building, will have to be funded from another source.

The Finance & General Purposes Committee recommended an application be made to the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) for £600,000 to carry out the work.

Members agreed the recommendation by a majority and are inviting public comment prior to making the application to the PWLB.

The council said the repayment of the loan for the Almonry project will require an additional £21,000 to be included within next year’s budget and the impact on the average property (Band D) will be 15p per week, the equivalent of £7.72 per year.

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Secret cannabis farm: two jailed in connection with £720k drugs factory near Bexhill.