A grant has been awarded to restore the Diving Museum in Gosport which suffers from water leaks and damp issues.

Under the community grant scheme, Hampshire County Council has awarded the Historical Diving Society (HDS) £15,000 to restore the Gosport attraction.

The museum, in a grade II-listed building which was built in the 1860s primarily to defend against a sea-borne attack, opened in 2001. It is currently closed but plans to reopen next summer, and is the only museum of its kind in the UK.

Kevin Casey, the museum director and vice chair of the HDS, welcomed the grant. He thanked the county council leader, Cllr Rob Humby, for trusting the project and urged them to keep up their support to strengthen future grant applications.

Mr Casey said: “We’re we are restoring a piece of Gosport heritage and history that played a crucial part in the coastal defences of Gosport and Portsmouth Harbour."

The HDS aims to improve the internal environment for the storage and display of the collection and provide better access for the public.

To do so, grants from Arts Council England and Historic England have been awarded to open the remaining two-thirds of No.2 Battery, ensuring the museum is accessible and usable.

Works include installing an air source heat pump to help manage humidity and water ingress, installing a ventilation system to control air movement within the building and repairing holes.

In addition, work will include restoring and conserving historic features throughout the building, such as the nuclear blast doors from the period the building was Gosport’s Cold War nuclear bunker and installing an external ramp at the entrance to the building and an internal platform lift, internal ramps to accommodate changes in floor levels and create an accessible emergency exit at the rear.

Once completed, it will enable the museum to move to phase two, which includes submitting a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If the bid is successful, they will be allowed to open the museum to the public in 2025.

Mr Casey said: “We are saving the history and heritage of Gosport in a way that shows to the wider country how important Gosport was to the realm over the centuries.

“I just hope the Gosport residents support us in making this an important site. It’s in a fantastic location, and if we achieve all that we’re trying to achieve, it’ll be a great venue for Gosport residents to visit, bring their children to, and learn about.

“Gosport is a home of diving, and it’s where John Dean invented the first diving helmet. He lived here for ten years."