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Castle roof plan revived

Rochester Castle
Rochester Castle

awatkins@thekmgroup.co.uk

A row could break out between a top heritage organisation and Medway Council after councillors relaunched plans to put a roof on Rochester Castle.
Officers vainly tried to warn councillors there was no support from their partners in the preservation of the castle.
But they were told to investigate whether it could be done.
“We are looking at the feasibility only,” said the regeneration committee chairman, Cllr Roy Hunter (Con).
Earlier Richard Hicks, the assistant director responsible for tourism, said: “It will be a difficult ask given the English Heritage stance, and the level of costs.
“It would be extremely difficult for us to achieve, and very problematical.”
He said the cost was likely to be between £8m and £10m, though most of it would be for repointing the exterior of the castle while the scaffolding was in place.
“The Tower of London’s roof cost £2m,” he said. “Now is not the right time for it.”
The discussion came at the end of a short debate about the conservation plans for the castle.
Simon Curtis, the council’s heritage manager, said the council’s partners, English Heritage, did not support the idea.
But they were told by Cllr Vaughan Hewett (Con): “We recommend you look at ways to find the funding for roofing and possibly flooring the castle.”
The roof was lost in a fire, thought to have been in the 1600s.
Cllr Tony Goulden (Lab) said acid rain was now eating at the castle and causing significant damage.
“It would be a real ruin if it fell down,” he warned.

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