VALE Mill’s future use will be decided shortly. Work on the States-owned property should soon be completed.

Scaffolding, which was erected last summer after chunks of concrete fell from the building, has been removed.

States Property Services has led the refurbishment. When it is finished, the mill will be handed over to Treasury and Resources.

States Property Services head of estates John Silvester said that all options would be considered for its future.

‘It’s getting very close and should be completed within a few weeks,’ he said.

‘It’s a fine job and the building is in a lot safer condition than before as things were falling off. We now have to decide what to do with it in future.’

Options for the States include selling or leasing it, keeping it as it is and opening it to the public.

‘It will be a States decision because it’s a historic structure. Culture and Leisure have been looking after it and we are looking forward to getting it handed over to us to find the best solution. We are hoping to go to the States before the end of this year,’ said Mr Silvester.

Renovation work started after neighbours feared damage caused by falling masonry from a concrete top to the mill which was added by the Germans. The budget allocation for the project was £108,800.

‘It’s been a lengthy process of examining the structure to identify its defects and making sure that the appropriate repairs are carried out to comply with conservation requirements,’ said States Property Services building surveyor Gary Naftel, who was acting as project manager.

‘The repair works have involved mainly timber repairs to remove fungal growth and the whole aim of the project was to address the issue of health and safety with regards to the concrete that was falling off the mill.’

Externally, a number of repairs have been carried out with a specialist UK concrete consultant who advised on various repairs to the whole of the upper German section.

‘It’s been demanding and we are quite relieved to see the scaffolding come down and complete the remainder of the internal works,’ said Mr Naftel.

The project team is now replacing some of the timber casement sections with a fixed louvre system to provide continued ventilation.

‘The main problem with the mill was it was very humid and poorly ventilated.’

New floors have been put into the building.