Grade II* listed building repairs nearly complete

Pippbrook House was built between 1856 and 1858 and designed by the architect behind Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras station, George Gilbert Scott

Restoration work of a historic Surrey building is close to finishing, a council has said.

Pippbrook House in Dorking recently received £200,000 to repair its roof after its owners said they were "morally obligated" to maintain the 19th-century site.

Chair of Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) councillor Roger Adams and other guests attended a tile signing ceremony to mark the milestone on 9 July.

It comes after MVDC decided to increase the repair budget from £1.4m to £1.6m in June so parts of the building damaged by a leak in October 2023 could be fixed.

Pippbrook House is Grade II* listed, a "distinction" English Heritage only bestows on about 5% of all listed properties, according to MVDC.

'Significant challenges' ahead

"We are delighted this complex roof-level stage is near completion, both within budget and on schedule," said Councillor Nick Wright, cabinet member for leisure and community assets.

He added that the next stage of the project aims to return the building - a "valued local asset" to active use.

MVDC needed to find "creative ways" of funding more needed work, but this could not be done when "you've got holes in your roof", Mr Wright added.

"There are significant challenges... but these works are necessary," he said.

The building dates back to the Victorian period

In February 2023, the council originally approved a budget of £3.1m for works required to fix Pippbrook House – with £1.6m coming from Mole Valley and the rest obtained through grants.

The local authority was unable to bring in any external cash, limiting what could be achieved, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The new work will also open up two rooms that cannot be used due to ceiling damage, the meeting heard, it added.