PICTURES: Inside glimpse of Greenham control tower refurbishment

Greenham Parish Council purchased the Grade II-listed building, from West Berkshire Council for a ‘six-figure sum’ in January, and is in the process of providing a community facility there, incorporating a small museum on the history of Greenham Common and the control tower, a café, public toilets and offices.

Internal walls, floors and ceilings have now been restored, and new electrical and heating systems are being fitted.
Following this, the kitchen for the cafe and the toilets will be installed.
However, the project has not been entirely smooth sailing according to Greenham ward and parish councillor, Julian Swift-Hook (Lib Dem), who is among those leading the project.
“There are always unexpected challenges in a project of this size, and the control tower refurbishment has been no exception,” he said. “While the building is structurally sound, the internal dilapidation due to many

years of neglect was worse than we had originally anticipated.
“Preserving and displaying as much as possible of the original fixtures and fittings while meeting modern day building regulations has been a difficult line to walk, and we have been working closely with the [district] council's conservation officer to make sure that as many of the original features as possible will be visible to visitors.
“It's always difficult to predict when a major project such as this will be finished, but we are hoping that the control tower will be open to the public in early summer 2015.”
The public will have the chance to contribute to the museum’s exhibition, as, once the restoration project is complete, Greenham Parish Council will be seeking items for display in its exhibitions to help tell the story of Greenham Common, be it the recent military history or its present status as an important wildlife habitat and natural environment.
Anyone who wishes to contribute can contact the council via the Greenham Control Tower Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GreenhamControlTower