BASING HOUSE RUINS - HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND GRANT

1. The Executive Member is pleased to report that the Heritage Lottery Fund has approved the award of a Stage 1 grant of £53,300 towards the restoration of the ruins of Basing House. When taken together with County Council funding already allocated, this will enable progress to be made on design and research work, and archaeological investigations, to develop the Stage 2 plans for Basing House, which will be the subject of a further application for a grant of £1,071,000 to the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is expected that approval for Stage 2 grant will be forthcoming in October, 2008, but it should be noted that its release will be conditional on satisfactory completion of the Stage 1 works.

2. The Heritage Lottery Fund grant, if released in full, will enable the County Council to improve and develop the ruins of Basing House and Grange Farm, in order to display and interpret them in a way which reflects their historical importance to Hampshire. Basing House is of particular significance for the Tudor and Civil War periods. The total estimated costs of the project will be about £1,785,000, represented by the Heritage Lottery Fund grant of just over £1m, County Council funding and a contribution from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. It will therefore be a good example of partnership working and will contribute to the corporate priority "enhancing our quality of place".

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