A £100,000 windmill restoration project in Brighton and Hove has won a Heritage Award.

The Grade II-listed West Blatchington Windmill has picked up the 2017 Public & Community Award from the Sussex Heritage Trust.

The 74-week project was delivered by Brighton & Hove City Council's Property & Design Team,  Fowler Building Contractors,  Baqus Construction Consultancy Ltd and  CTP Engineers, in consultation with The Friends of West Blatchington Windmill which contributed half of the £100,000 funding.

The restoration, led by the council's Property and Design team, saw specialist contractors carrying out structural repairs to the fan tail and gearing mechanism, reefing stage decking and supports. Initial inspections revealed several rotten beams, leading to a more complex and lengthy programme of repairs than anticipated.


Weatherboarding  and flint walling were also repaired and the mill and barn repainted in a traditional colour to replicate the original tarring. Existing materials were reused where possible and work was programmed to minimise disruption and ensure safe access for the general public.

Awards judges commented: "The Mill is a fantastic heritage asset, a museum both of its own history and of windmills in general. The Friends of West Blatchington Windmill are to be commended for their effort, energy and enthusiasm in its preservation, without which it would almost certainly have been lost."

Cllr Gill Mitchell added: "West Blatchington Mill is a unique example of a traditional smock windmill so I am delighted that we have been able to work with the Friends Group on this stunning restoration project and ensure this important city asset is preserved and enjoyed by generations of residents."

(LM)