REPAIRS and renovations to Pippbrook House could cost the council more than £1 million, the Advertiser can reveal.

The listed building, which housed Dorking's library until the end of last year, is in a state of disrepair with a leaking roof, dry and wet rot, asbestos and damaged chimneys and windows.

Surrey County Council leased the building for 25 years and gave Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) £325,000 when the library closed on New Year's Eve.

But MVDC estimates it could cost up to £1.2 million to bring the building back to a "condition suitable for a range of uses" – something many local groups believe should be done.

Hank Etheridge, of Dorking and District Preservation Society, said: "Obviously, we want the thing preserved because it is an old building. It is very dark and musty, the ceilings need a lot of work, it has been used by lots of people and it needs a considerable amount of renovation.

"Surrey County Council thought the library needed to be brought into the modern age and that's what the new place has done, but that old building has to be preserved."

MVDC says it has already spent £25,000 on heating and security for the empty building since the library closed, and urgent works costing £750,000 will be carried out over the summer, but its future is still unclear.

The options include using parts of it for flats or office space, though MVDC has pledged to keep at least part of it in "civic use".

Kathy Atherton, of Dorking Museum, said: "It means a lot to people who have been using it over the years.

"It is one of the few remaining great mansions in Dorking and people do feel a great fondness for it."

June Spong, who worked in the library for more than 20 years and was a member of the Leave Our Library Alone campaign, said: "It really needs somebody to get in touch with English Heritage to make a feature of the house.

"It needs to be saved, it needs to be open to the public. It is an amazing building."

An MVDC report says the council will consider borrowing money, selling assets, "deprioritising a currently approved scheme" or changing its policy of holding at least £8 million in capital reserves to fund the works.

Council leader James Friend said: "We are currently considering the long-term use of the building and in the short term are keen to find a suitable tenant.

"The building will remain in civic use, and there are really positive options to explore, with great potential, which involve the Pippbrook site as a whole."