A fundraising campaign was launched today after York Minster revealed the spiralling cost of its new centre for excellence.
It has planning permission to create a Centre of Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills – comprising a technology centre on the site of the Stoneyard and a Heritage Quad at the deanery.
Originally costed at £5 million in 2018, the centre is now set to cost £9 million – 80% more – after being “hit by multiple challenges”.
The revelation comes as the Chapter of York appointed specialist heritage contractor Simpson to oversee the project.
Described as “a world-class campus facility for research, education and training”, the centre would train future generations in the skills to maintain the Minster into the future.
The York Minster fund is underwriting the scheme. It today launched a campaign to raise £4 million towards the completion of the project.
Director of the York Minster Fund Neil Sanderson said: “The Centre of Excellence will deliver long term sustainable benefits both financially, and in the maintenance of heritage skills to York Minster, the heritage community, and the wider city.
“However, since the initial inception of the idea of the centre in 2018, we have been working against a backdrop of rising costs and supply chain issues, and its full delivery is now expected to cost in excess of £9m, significantly more than at the start of this journey.”
The fund is asking people and organisations to donate to the fund here.
The Very Rev Dominic Barrington, Dean of York Minster, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who already supports the Minster’s work and expensive ongoing upkeep through donations and visits.
“However, we have been hit by multiple challenges since we began this project in 2018, most notably the ongoing volatility of the construction industry.
“We are therefore hopeful of securing further funding and pledges to ensure this once-in-a-lifetime project can be delivered on schedule as planned, with donations being very gratefully received.”
The York Minster Neighbourhood Plan aims to secure a sustainable future for York Minster.
Formally adopted by City of York Council last year, it is the largest planned programme of works at the Minster and its surrounding precinct since the Victorian era.
It was recently nominated for a Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) award for Planning Excellence.
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