HEVENINGHAM HALL (Hansard, 28 January 1987)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment (Lord Skelmersdale)

Heveningham Hall was purchased by the Government in 1970 for £300,000, using moneys from the National Land Fund, in order to secure its preservation and that of its contents and estate. It was always intended that government ownership of the property should be temporary and should extend only to carrying out necessary repairs and finding a suitable new owner. During this period the property was managed on behalf of my department and its predecessor by the National Trust, who opened it to the public for five days a week between April and October.

In 1981 the freehold interest was sold to Mr. A. Al-Ghazzi, subject to certain covenants, for £726,000. The net proceeds of sale were passed to the National Heritage Memorial Fund (as successor to the National Land Fund). The covenants included a right of public access to the principal rooms and gardens for at least 30 days a year, a requirement to carry out an agreed programme of repairs, and an obligation to maintain and display certain historic items of furniture which remain the property of the Secretary of State.

For various reasons, including a fire which occurred in 1984, Mr. A1-Ghazzi has not been able to comply with the covenant relating to public access, and work on repairing the wing damaged by fire has been held up. Responsibility for ensuring that the owner complies with the covenants now lies, in the first instance, with the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission, which, together with the local planning authority, has been monitoring the condition of the building and is in touch with the owner and his agents. We have asked the Commision for their assessment of the position, with a view to considering whether intervention by my right honourable friend would be desirable.