BUILDERS are on course to ensure that work on the £3.5 million renovation of Wellington Monument is completed on time.

The project is reaching an exciting stage with scaffolding set to come down in December, allowing visitors to properly view the monument in its newly refurbished glory.

The National Trust has been tackling the conservation of the monument since it owned the landmark in 1934 and this restoration work has been carried out following concerns about possible falling stonework, with the upper half of the 175ft three-sided obelisk in very poor condition.

Emma Jones, the National Trust’s community fundraiser and engagement officer for Wellington Monument, said £380,000 was left to be raised but was ‘100 per cent certain’ it would be achieved.

“The builders have kept going as much as they can during Covid and they are just a couple of weeks behind schedule,” she told members of Wellington Town Council at their latest meeting held via Zoom video conferencing technology.

“It’s all very positive news and we’re still aiming to have it all finished by May 2021.”

Scaffolding will start coming down from the monument in December.

Some 1,500 stones have been replaced and the pyramidion – the top of the monument – has been completely rebuilt with larger stones in an attempt to stop water penetration.

For the full story see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.