WORK to restore the site of a former 13th century moated house in Redditch will now begin after plans received approval from Historic England.

An application to restore Moons Moat on Church Hill was put forward in March.

The house has seen its condition decline in recent years due to overgrown trees and shrubs, but works to restore its condition will now commence after a 10-year management plan was approved.

Phil Mitchell, of The Moons Moat Conservation Group (MMCG), one of the groups who put forward the bid, said “This is great news. It means that the 18 months of detailed research and planning have been worthwhile and we will now see progress in our aim of restoring the Moons Moat site to pristine condition.

“Special thanks go to Emily Hathaway of Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Services who has guided us through the process and liaised with Historic England on our behalf.”

Contractors organised by North Worcestershire Water Management have already began work with an aquatic litter pic and shrub removal – the pre-cursor to more significant works.

Redditch Borough Council, owners of the site, will plan urgent tree work which will be scheduled for after the nesting season, while fencing repairs are seen as an urgent safety measure.

Church Hill Big Local Partnership have also supported the bid.

The MMCG is also pursuing its ‘outreach’ activity plans with a September Community Fun Day organised at the Moat.

If you can help provide grants or sponsorships to fund these activities, contact Phil on pm@moonsmoatconservation.info.