 The Grade II listed Whitburn Windmill was built between 1790 and 1796 and has become one of the most recognisable landmarks in our village. But the windmill has been fenced off for several months while options for repairing its sails have been considered.
South Tyneside Council has indicated that repairing the sails would cost at least £40,000, which it says it cannot currently afford. The proposed alternative is to make the building safe by removing the sails, at an estimated cost of around £20,000. We believe it is important to explore every possible option before the sails are removed. The windmill was last repaired in 1991, and there may be opportunities to seek external heritage funding to support its restoration. The National Lottery Heritage Fund is one potential source of funding that could be explored. While the Council cannot access this funding for the project, a Neighbourhood Forum can potentially apply for heritage funding. However, demonstrating strong community support will be important if a funding application is to be developed. To help this, please sign the petition calling for Whitburn Windmill and its iconic sails to be saved and restored: Sign the petition to Save Whitburn Windmill The Whitburn Neighbourhood Forum will continue to support efforts to protect the village’s heritage and to explore opportunities for the windmill to be restored.
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