NEARLY £4.7 million in heritage funding intended to protect the derelict Tonedale Mill site in Wellington is to be taken away.

Somerset Council instead wants to spend the money on the nearby Toneworks, which was the dye and finishing centre for the mill.

The money is part of a £19.9 million Government grant the council was awarded two years ago for work on both the mill and Toneworks, with £16.3 million intended for the mill site.

Although Toneworks was bought by the former Somerset West and Taunton Council before the authority was taken over by the new unitary council, the mill has remained privately owned, making it challenging to spend public money on it.

Both were part of the Fox family woollen mill empire, which 200 years ago was the largest cloth manufacturing operation in the UK.

The two sites are listed as grade two starred by Historic England with Toneworks said to contain the most important set of old industry machinery in the country.

A view inside the historic Toneworks site
A view inside Wellington’s historic Toneworks site which Somerset Council is prioritising over Tonedale Mill. (Tindle News)

Restoration of Toneworks has been held up for 10 months after the discovery of asbestos and a new survey which showed the buildings were in a far worse state than previously thought.

Somerset executive director Chris Hall said higher than expected inflationary rises now meant the budget for the Toneworks planned repairs was not enough.

Mr Hall said it would be necessary to divert £4.695 million of the Tonedale Mill funds to cover the extra costs of structural and roofing repairs to protect Toneworks.

He said the council was continuing to look at options for using Tonedale Mill’s remaining £11.55 million before a March, 2027, deadline for committing the funds, with a decision due in October.

Somerset executive Cllr Mike Rigby is due to take a ‘key decision’ on Wednesday (July 8) to approve the Tonedale Mill funds transfer.