Contact: Bob Edwards, ext. 6513

1. Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

That approval be given for a grant of £10,000 for repairs to the roof of the listed Church of St Thomas a Becket, Warblington. The grant to be paid on satisfactory completion of the works in accordance with the standard conditions and attached conditions.

2. Reason

2.1 To contribute to the cost of the repairs of stripping and retiling the roof of the nave and north and south aisles, and to renew the lath and plaster ceilings that have been severely damaged by water ingress.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 Not to give a grant.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - Not applicable.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. The Church of St Thomas a Becket, Warblington is a Grade I listed church that contains an important Anglo-Saxon tower. The church was largely rebuilt or remodelled in the later C12 or early C13 and has been little altered since, despite Victorian restorations.

8. The roof of the nave, which continues over the north and south aisles, is of hand-made clay tiles and is in poor condition. Water ingress has possibly led to the deterioration of the plasterwork on the ceiling internally and the whole of the ceiling over the nave and aisles is netted to catch falling material. Both the slopes of the nave/aisles roof need to be stripped and the majority of the tiles will have to be replaced with new hand-made clay tiles. Repairs will also be required internally, replastering extensive areas of the ceiling. The estimated cost of this work is £140,000.

9. The following conditions would apply:

(i) the contractor shall afford reasonable access to works for inspection(s) by appointed officers of the County Council, as required (during working hours);

(ii) no deviation from the submitted drawings and/or specification, other than to secure compliances with these conditions, shall be made without prior written agreement from the County Planning Officer;

(iii) the existing tiles should be carefully stripped off and all sound reusable tiles set aside. Any non-matching tiles used in later repairs should be removed from the roof and not reused. As many as practical of the original tiles should be reused, the deficit to be made up with new hand-made clay tiles sorted to avoid patching (to be agreed with the Conservation Officer);

(iv) a sample of the tiles to be used and the mortar mix for rebedding the ridge tiles, etc should be agreed with the County Planning Officer prior to works commencing; and

(v) if practical the roof should be counterbattened to increase ventilation under the tiles.

6795/BE