Waverley Borough Council (WBC) secured a £734,335 Museum Estate and Development grant through Arts Council England. To support some of the conservation and repair works that are required to maintain the building.
A WBC spokesperson said: “The council provided pre-tender estimates at the time of our funding application, but as was made clear at the time - these rough valuations were never intended to be used as a definitive budget for the total cost of repairs for the MEND element of this project and did not cover all the work that is required at Willmer House. To suggest otherwise is completely misleading.
“The cost of replacing the windows was deliberately excluded from the initial estimates because the Arts Council classes this work as essential maintenance, which is not covered by their grant.
“Due to the age of this historic building, we expected to find further work was required as the conservation project moved forward, and this has proven to be the case. Rising inflation has also seen the cost of skilled labour and building materials increase sharply since our initial estimates were made, which has added to the cost.
“We have now secured a further £230,310 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support these additional essential conservation works, and we continue to apply for further grant funding to back this project.
“In the meantime, the council is helping to fund the replacement of the windows alongside the facia repairs, this means we can make cost savings and minimise disruption by using the same scaffolding.”
Cllr Mark Merryweather said: “Willmer House is a beautiful Grade I Listed Building that is highly valued by the local community, and we must ensure that it is preserved and protected.“
