SINCE 1993 one of Ilford's grand old buildings has lay fallow, gently slipping into decay.

Surviving since the late 17th century, Valentines Mansions has been home to Belgian refugees, a Victorian family, the son-in-law of an Archbishop and a host of council files.

In 1898, Ilford Borough Council brought the 85 acres of the house's extensive grounds to provide an increasingly urban Ilford with its own "Central Park".

When the last owner-occupier, Sarah Ingleby, died in 1912, the council purchased the mansion house within the parkland.

And after housing refugees from mainland Europe during World War I, it was used by the council as public health offices between 1925 and 1964 before becoming home to Redbridge council's housing department.

For the past eight years, since the last council worker moved out, the building has been empty.

But a local group of historians determined to stop the rot got together to form the Valentines Mansion Steering Group and two years ago Redbridge Council agreed to lease them the building in exchange for a bit of tender loving care.

After presenting the council with a business plan this May for a regenerated and self-sustaining Valentines Mansion, the steering group has now put in an application to Charity Commissioners.

Changing into a charity means that a newly-formed Valentines Mansion Trust would be able to tap into funds by being eligible for more grants.

This week, the Valentines Mansion Mansion Steering Group is showcasing its business plan for the future of the old house and is hoping members of the public will come and put in their twopenneth worth.

Old and expansive properties need to be lavished with love and attention and while the council has spent £310, 000 restoring the exterior of Valentines Mansion, the steering group has assumed responsibility for the looking after the inside.

Luckily when the council took over the Georgian-fronted mansion nearly a century ago, it did not rip out the building's original features and though badly-neglected, it is hoped that the inside can be restored.

Currently an application for £1 million to transform the interior of the mansion is lodged with the Heritage Lottery Fund.

And to help pay for the upkeep of Valentines House, the group wants to turn the mansion into a working building. Weddings could be catered for in its grand rooms and gardens and companies could book conference rooms.

There is also an idea to rent out space to West End art galleries if they wanted something slightly more regal than a Shoreditch loft space to showcase their latest artist in.

And for residents who want to tap into how we used to live the steering group is proposing to turn the the top floor into flats for rent, providing a regular income for the charitable trust.

To top it all, the group wants to open part of the house to the public and provides a restaurant for visitors as well laying on subsidised activities for schools and local community groups.

This week you can have a glance inside the long closed mansion and have a peak at the plans that Valentines Mansion Steering Group has for one of Redbridge's grandest buildings.

Until Sunday, the steering group is displaying its business plan at Valentines Mansion, Emerson Road, Gants Hill, Ilford.

A member of the group will on hand at all times to answer any questions and the exhibition is open from 1pm to 4pm today (Thursday), Friday, Saturday and from 11am to 4pm on Sunday.

And if you want to become a Friend of Valentines Mansion, which currently has a membership of 350. Forms and full details of the friends activities will be available at the display.