Garvis Snook appeals for Royal repairs

Rok chief executive Garvis Snook has called on the government to pledge additional public money to repair Royal properties.

The Royal Household requires £44m to complete repairs of its estate including Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace and has asked for an increase in funding to cover the maintenance costs.

Snook, who is heading up the Repairing Britain Campaign, said the scale of work required would boost the construction industry.

He added: "“For the construction industry, this would be money well spent. It would require the skills and expertise of the sector and, therefore, have an immediate impact on the economy.

“Refurbishment is often more environmentally-friendly than new build and it is also far more cost-effective. Royal buildings should be assessed by objective criteria rather than be mixed up in a debate about wealth and privilege.”

The Repairing Britain campaign is seeking lower VAT on property repairs and a commitment from public bodies to repair buildings before embarking on new construction.